HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 595641,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/595641/?format=api",
"text_counter": 257,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "watch their practice. They could jump and run to the trucks. The same things are not done nowadays. That is still the main fire station in Nairobi City which I saw in 1956. We have heard, seen or read from the newspapers many times that sometimes, a vehicle going to a disaster scene breaks down on the way before it reaches the destination. Sometimes a vehicle goes to a fire disaster scene but there is no water. Therefore, we are not ready for disasters. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, collapsed buildings in Nairobi City have become a daily occurrence. It is Nairobi City officials who approve plans to build houses which collapse every now and then. If disasters happen, are we ready to rescue people? You are aware that we have lost many people in disasters of collapsed buildings in the city. The only organisation we see rushing to scenes of disasters is the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS). Where is the county government? That is why I applaud the establishment of the County Disaster Management Authority (CDMA) because it does not exist. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have had unfortunate incidences of bombings in the city. I remember the first major one other than the minor ones which occurred at the OTC Bus Station many years ago was the American Embassy bombing. When a disaster occurs, that is the only time the Government forms an ad hoc team to work on that particular disaster and it is disbanded immediately thereafter. The same thing happened when terrorist attacked the Westgate Mall. It was citizens who went to save the situation. I am not belittling, by any means, the gallant policemen and soldiers who went to the rescue. However, a majority of the people who went there were people who had not been called upon to do so. They risked their lives to do a job that should have been done by other people. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have talked about floods and I will touch on them in a short while. However, the most important thing which we lack is sensitisation of the public on disasters. I hope – because I have noted the benefits of reading this Bill wholly – that the issue of sensitisation of members of the public on disasters will be included in this Bill. This morning, I was watching experts on disasters on the television. One thing that struck me which is correct, is that the experts said that in other countries, people run away when there is a bomb somewhere. However, in Kenya, when there is a bomb somewhere, people run to it to watch not knowing that there could be another bomb or more danger. You have seen that police officers do a lot of work to remove people from danger points because they want to see what happens without knowing that it is dangerous because they have not been sensitised or educated on the dangers. They do not know what to do in case of a disaster. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in other countries, there are lessons even from school. Children are educated on what to do. For example, they are told to run off, lie on the floor or go to a specific place should something happen. However, in this country, we run to a place where a shooting is taking place to find out what has happened. We know that there should be assembly points. It is a requirement that people should assemble at a certain point, if, for example, there is a fire disaster. In our case here in Parliament, do we know where to assemble, if there is fire? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the issue of disasters have been relegated to something that is not important yet it is very important that we sensitise ourselves on the dangers 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."
}