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{
    "id": 514738,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/514738/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 427,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Okoth",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12482,
        "legal_name": "Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth",
        "slug": "kenneth-odhiambo-okoth"
    },
    "content": "Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). We have to address this issue. The challenges we are facing will spread to areas like Turkana, if the conflict in South Sudan escalates further. We have seen the impact of the refugee situation in Kenya and other host countries, as a result of the protracted civil war in Somalia. What will happen if we do not stop the chaos in South Sudan? I hope that the Chair of the Departmental Committee will take up this matter and ensure that our country is involved in the negotiations aimed at bringing peace in South Sudan. This should happen quickly, so that we do not end up with another refugee situation. I mentioned that I have had a chance to visit Dadaab Refugee Camp, which is located in Carissa County, with a little spill over into Wajir County. The refugee camp is within 100 kilometres from our border with Somalia. I noticed that there was proper screening of people crossing the border into Kenya. Refugees going to the camps are first screened 100 kilometres inside our territory from the border. If we are serious about national security, we cannot outsource national security to foreign powers. I have heard that, as per the regional security operation arrangement in Somalia, the Ethiopian military is responsible for the protection of that very sensitive boarder section, while our own military operates deep inside Somalia. Let us look into ways of bringing back our military to be primarily responsible for our security. We must also ensure that we do not outsource the control of refugee affairs to foreign powers and international NGOs. We must bring those functions back into our own hands. I want to wrap up by saying that it is due to failure of the Government that there is no security in places like Mandera County, to an extent that the governor’s life is at risk. A fifth attempt has been made on his life. I stand here in solidarity with the people of Mandera and tell them not to fear to demand from the Government what is due to them – security. It is not a favour for the Government of Kenya to provide them with security, for which they pay tax. Even as we deal with this crisis, let us be pre-emptive to make sure that we do not have another crisis blowing out of South Sudan. The leaders of South Sudan must be brought to a round table to make a peace agreement, so that their nationals do not run into our country in hundreds of thousands and create a refugee crisis similar to the one in Dadaab."
}