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{
    "id": 523032,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/523032/?format=api",
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    "content": "with regard to boundaries. Boundaries in this country mean a lot in terms of resource allocation; it means a lot in terms of the geography, where you find resources. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I come from a county where we have had challenges in terms of determining the accurate boundaries between ourselves and about two counties. Nandi County has had challenges in establishing the boundary between Nandi and Kakamega counties and this has sometimes led to some of the conflict around one of the border areas between these two counties. When you sit down and meet with these communities on both sides, all of them always have an issue with the boundary; that they are unable to ascertain the boundary between two communities or two counties. The boundaries of the counties in this country have some sort of ethnic dimension; it is a fact that you will go to Nandi County and you will almost know that the predominant community in that county is the Nandi Community. If you go to Kakamega County or to Kisumu County, it is the same thing. This is to mean that county boundaries have an ethnic dimension. The element of certainty is a very important component. If you look at the Constitution, Article 188(1) of the Constitution clearly gives the procedure on how the boundaries of counties can be altered in this country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, whereas this responsibility of setting up the Commission has been given to Parliament, that it originates from the Senate because our responsibility as a Senate is to protect and serve the interest of counties, there cannot be a better way of protecting the interest of counties if you do not even know the physical boundaries of the counties. We need to be certain with boundaries. This is so as we engage and resolve some of the border conflicts. We should have that certainty on the boundary. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, within the boundary between Nandi and Kisumu counties – this is something that I have discussed with the Senator for Kisumu County, Sen. (Prof.) Anyang’-Nyong’o – is that if you do not have an agreed boundary between your counties, you will hear conflict of Members from one county crossing over to the other county maybe for grazing. At the end of the day, you have challenges and conflict. It is important that you ascertain the boundary. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in terms of administration of counties, we have some parts of this country where we have communities living in one county identifying themselves with--- For example, in Nandi County, we have communities while actually in terms of administration and the real boundary as it is right now, are in Kisumu County. This situation is so bad so that you have situations where people have to migrate to another county to go and vote. They have to migrate to another county to go and register as voters. We should relook at the boundary in such a case. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Constitution has clearly spelt out the parameters to put into account as you alter the county boundaries; one of them, which is under Article 183(2)(a) is the population density and the demographic trends. The second one is the physical and human infrastructure; the third one is historical and cultural ties. We have certain communities and certain pockets of communities who find themselves in one county, while if you look at the historical and cultural ties, they find themselves identifying themselves more with communities in another county. Whereas we do not want to balkanize our counties, but the choice of communities to agree and find The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}