Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 621511,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/621511/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 129,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am happy that you have allowed me to make a point on Order No.9. The Water Bill (National Assembly Bill No.7 of 2014), has been on this Floor several times. Last time we did not proceed because we raised some fundamental issues as to the content and character of the Bill. Yesterday I received a phone call from the Chairman of the Council of Governors (CoG) who informed me that the Council feels that their views on this Bill - knowing that the management of water resources has been devolved - have not been taken on board. They had sent a Memorandum and having looked at our raft of amendments brought by the Committee, it is clear that they do not adequately address their issues. This is the point I have belaboured before. This morning, in furtherance of that call, I received a letter addressed to the Hon. Speaker of the Senate, the Senate Majority Leader and myself, echoing the same issue. My request is that - I can see the Chairman of the Committee is here - the management of water resources is a critical function. Many countries are in conflict because of water. I can see the counties getting in conflicting situations because of water. Already there are arguments between the Nairobi and Murang’a counties over water. There are counties that rely on water from highland counties. In my humble view, and having gone through the Bill as currently constituted, drafted and brought to this House, it amounts to a claw-back on constitutional gains on the management of water resources. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this House is the custodian, protector and defender of counties and their governments which include the natural and non-natural resources. I urge the Chair, with greatest respect to the Chairman of the Committee, that we are neither here to prosecute a cause nor are we defending a position, but we are dealing with matters that affect counties. I pray that we stay this matter and go a little further as we did before and request the Chair to constitute a workshop between the Senate and the governors or their representatives so that the Members will fully appreciate and understand the importance of water resources within the context of devolution and how these resources are to be managed. Apart from hearing from the Chairman of the Council of Governors, several other governors have reached out to me in the same vein. I am aware that the Chair of the Committee called me before requesting that we meet and hear my view on the proposed amendments and the structure of the Bill as a whole. I have not created time to see him because I was jostled by the events of 16th December, 2015 that happened in this House and I felt that our side had not been given a fair hearing. However, that is behind us and we must look forward. We shall not drive with our eyes in the rear view mirror. We shall look forward to develop this country and to support counties. I encourage that we step down this matter and get a chance to consult with the CoG.. Mr. Speaker, Sir, philosophers like Prof. Ali Mazrui predicted that while in the last century, conflicts among nations and peoples of the world was about oil, in this The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}