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{
    "id": 659266,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/659266/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 178,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ababu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion by the Departmental Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. I applaud this spirit of our two Chambers of Parliament, making contribution to legislation. Strengthening the two Chambers, as I have said a million times, where the National Assembly and the Senate substantively and comprehensively play their roles of legislation, oversight and representation, it can only be good for this country. This Bill is extremely important. It is pleasing that areas that seem not yet agreed upon between the two Chambers are not major issues of disagreement. They are issues of definition and sources of financing. These are issues which should easily be resolved through the constitutional mechanisms of mediation. I urge the Senate, because the Committee of this House ably chaired by my eminent sister Amina has had time to consider these issues at length, to agree with us. I believe this Committee has a very good reason for the position they have taken. Take the example of the question of definitions, it makes no sense for any piece of legislation to define a term, terminology or phrase that is not directly referred to in the legislation. The matter that the Senate may be concerned about as regards definition is one that may well be addressed in another related piece of legislation. These are issues which should not hold up this Bill. I want to urge the Mediation Committee to expedite the resolution of the outstanding issues so that this Bill can be enacted into law. Even as we move forward to enact this Bill into law, let us also start thinking broadly and substantively of how we can better manage water resources that are of a regional and international nature. Those of us who live by the shores of Lake Victoria, for instance, have recently noticed a phenomenon that is causing growing concern. The waters of Lake Victoria have sharply been rising in recent months to an extent that right now, many homesteads, farms and properties adjoining the lake are at risk. I was in my constituency yesterday and visited a village in the southern part of the constituency which is at a serious threat of being submerged by the rising waters of Lake Victoria. The villages are called Musoma and Mabinju in the southern zone of Budalangi Constituency. Therefore, I want to urge the Committee that even as we support this Bill, and as The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}