{"id":541908,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/541908/?format=json","text_counter":180,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":376,"legal_name":"Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona","slug":"millie-odhiambo-mabona"},"content":"Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I support this Bill. The Bill is long overdue. The annexed Ottawa Convention that Kenya is seeking to bring into effect provides that once a state country becomes a member, they should effect it within four years and if there are difficulties, within 10 years. I am not sure whether Kenya has ratified this treaty but if we have not, I suspect that we are way out of time, given the time when this treaty was passed. Nonetheless, I am happy that it is here today. The reason as to why I say so is because this law will put an end to the suffering of the casualties that are caused by the anti-personnel mines, especially relating to the vulnerable, and more so children. When I was the Director of the Cradle, I had the occasion of dealing with a lot of cases where children were maimed by anti-personnel mines in Isiolo. In that instance, the United Kingdom (UK) Government undertook, after a lengthy case in Kenya and in the UK, to compensate the victims. It is, however, not often that you will be fortunate to have such a situation. I am also the Chairperson of Parliamentarians for Global Action, Kenya Chapter."}