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{
    "id": 639548,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/639548/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 107,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wako",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 366,
        "legal_name": "Amos Sitswila Wako",
        "slug": "amos-wako"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is a very important petition on behalf of the residents of Changara. I understand that they are only 20 persons who have petitioned. There must be more than hundreds of Changara residents in the location, but only 20 have petitioned. I believe we have two major communities in the location. These are the Bukusu and the Teso. I believe I stand to be corrected that the Teso are about 55 to 60 per cent while the Bukusu are about 40 to 45 per cent. Therefore, we would like to know whether it is in the interest of all the residents of Changara that the location be in Bungoma County, which is mainly inhabited by the Bukusu, or whether it should remain in Busia where there are many Tesos. The allegations that will have to be reviewed by the Committee, in accordance with the Standing Orders, are whether it is really true that the Districts and Provinces Act of 1992 put the location in Bungoma County or whether the surveys brought it back to Busia County. These are issues that will have to be looked into. The problem involving boundaries refers to more than just mere boundaries here and there. It involves people in that location. Therefore, it may very well be that, at the end of the day, the right of self-determination of those people to decide whether they should remain in Busia or move to Bungoma will have to be exercised. In other words, it is not just a question of putting a boundary this way or that way. In so saying, it does not mean that they are suffering in any way because they are in Busia County. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as you are aware, during the budget process, I have had problems regarding a lot of our money being allocated to Bungoma County on the basis that North Teso and South Teso constituencies were part of Bungoma. That was corrected in this year’s Budget. We have reached an agreement on how money for the first year’s Budget will be paid back to Busia County by the Government. Therefore, in so far as we have corrected that issue and those people are counted to be in Busia, money being allocated to Busia County serves the people of Changara Location irrespective of whether they are Teso or Bukusu. I do not think they are suffering as such because the governor, who is from the Teso Community, takes care of them very well. The point of stating that they suffer is not true. In accordance with Standing Orders, therefore, this petition must be submitted. We do not know who has signed it. Only 20 people have signed it, but we do not know whether it is a petition which enjoys the support of both communities in Changara Location. It will be upon the Committee to find out where the petitioners came from because if it is one-sided---"
}