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{
    "id": 531294,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/531294/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 266,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 260,
        "legal_name": "Billow Adan Kerrow",
        "slug": "billow-kerrow"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise to strongly support this Bill. The National Drought Management Authority Bill is a very important Bill for up to 14 counties that are pastoralist and up to 22 counties, if you look at counties that are in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs)--- The subject of this Bill is about drought and no one can tell us in this country that drought is not a problem unless you do not live in this country; unless you live on the moon or you do not have a conscience. Unless your conscience does not allow you to know what is happening with the rest of the Kenyans, you cannot say that this Bill is irrelevant or that the National Drought Management Authority, which is being created, is not necessary. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Authority was, in fact, created in 2011 vide Gazette Notice No.171. When that Authority was created in 2011, the Senate Minority Leader, who is now opposing this Bill, was in that Government and none other than his boss, the former Prime Minister, was pitching for this and was actually responsible for the creation of the Authority. The only thing that this Bill does is to put this Authority in a statute; to entrench it in law so that it is not just in the Kenya Gazette. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for the people who represent 25 per cent of the population of this country and who live in 80 per cent of the land mass of this country, drought is the single most important problem they have in their lives. So, it is a very important Bill, and I strongly urge hon. Members here to support it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Bill is not just about drought; it is about the management of drought. I am surprised that the Senator for Marsabit – who comes from the area where today, as we speak, thousands of animals are dying because of drought – can walk out of this House simply because of party politics. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is important that Kenyans appreciate that the challenge we have in this country is not whether there will be a drought or not, it is how to manage drought. Therefore, this Authority is very important because what they do is set out very clearly in Clause 5, which deals with the most important issues regarding drought. This clause deals with the policies and programs. This Authority will deal with the response mechanisms on drought. It will also deal with integration issues regarding those people affected by drought. More importantly, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has offices in all those counties where there is drought for instance, in Mandera County. Their main role is one of the functions listed there; the early warning system. They are the ones who carry out an assessment and bring out issues regarding the 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."
}