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{
    "id": 661884,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/661884/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 267,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": ". In the case of ratification of contracts relating to natural resources, it will not be subjected to a kamukunji but to Parliament - the National Assembly and the Senate. That is why we also say that some important issues that affect this nation should not be addressed in a kamukunji in the National Assembly or in the Senate. These are issues that should be addressed in Parliament which in its collective form are the two Houses. I will give you an example. The issues of electoral reforms that we are talking about as a nation should not be subjected to kamukunjis or caucuses of Members of Parliament (MPs) who drink tea together. There needs to be a formal structure and institutional approach to achieve some of these great things. Going back to the Bill, I looked at the definition of natural resources as contained in Article 260 of the Constitution. It is quite interesting that natural resources include the sunlight. Who would have ever thought that sunlight could be a natural resource that could be tapped and yet Kenya is blessed with natural sunlight, which can be utilized to a great extent, particularly in generation of solar energy. Sunlight has not been looked at as a tangible asset in this country. For example, there is a solar power project within my county. It is a huge project where investors have put in more than US$8 million to generate solar energy to feed into the national grid. That contract has been managed by the county government and it has not been subject to Parliamentary approval or ratification by any other body. You could understand because it is today that we are discussing this Bill. However, it is important that before we get into such grand projects, there has to be some clarity on how communities will benefit. At the very minimum, such a project should have been subjected to ratification by the county assembly. That lacuna has been there and I hope that with this Bill, such projects of grand magnitude will be subjected to a court where the people’s representatives sit. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if you look at the problems that Nigeria has had on issues of lack of transparency, especially on oil and gas contracts; it has caused a lot of problems. Some of the problems that include terrorism, militarism and war in certain parts of Nigeria, especially in the oil producing regions arise out of lack of transparency on some of these deals where the local communities do not understand how they stand to benefit from some of those contracts. 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"
}