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{
    "id": 525332,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/525332/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 362,
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    "content": "When Kenyans were articulating their desire to have a new Constitution, they thought that a lot of things that affect their day to day life would be addressed. However, I cannot blame the Committee at all because they have followed what is stipulated in the Constitution. I have a problem with the Constitution because it was tailor-made to benefit the majority in this country. When the Constitutional Review Committee was meeting in Naivasha, all the big provinces, then; Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western who had the President, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, were able to influence the outcome of the Constitution. Madam Temporary Speaker, everywhere in this world, a country is known by its size and not its population. Today, China and India, which have the largest population are equal to Rwanda and Djibouti with only 200,000 people. So, when they decided that 45 per cent will be given based on population, they knew what they were doing. Madam Temporary Speaker, to make it worse, the land mass in the country is well known by its size and boundary. However, they recommended that 88 per cent only should be considered for allocation of revenue. To add insult to an injury, when the Constitution talks about development factor, we know that the least developed areas of this country are the marginalised areas; the 14 districts which include Lamu, Tana River, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Pokot and many others. When Mr. Mohammed Elmi was appointed Minister of State for Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands, his Ministry was supposed to address the ills afflicting those areas. However, this Constitution is not addressing that. Madam Temporary Speaker, when we talk about inequality as Sen. Hassan has said, there is a lot of inequality in the dispensation of the resources in this country. Unless this matter is addressed, we cannot talk about devolution. Devolution was supposed to address the problem of the people in the areas that counties serve. As Sen. Hassan has said, Lamu is one of the most marginalised parts of this country. If the people of Lamu will be denied resources simply because their population is small, then we will not do justice to them. Madam Temporary Speaker, I now address the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD). If CORD is talking about a referendum, please include in the referendum the question of marginalized areas and you will get our support."
}