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{
    "id": 681311,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/681311/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 85,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Barua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1529,
        "legal_name": "Ejidius Njogu Barua",
        "slug": "ejidius-njogu-barua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker for this opportunity to second this Bill. This is a mediated version of the Water Bill, 2014. As the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources has stipulated, the Water Bill was passed by this House in July, 2015 and passed to the Senate for concurrence and a few issues emerged. We did not have major differences with the Senate for the first time. The differences between National Assembly and the Senate were not really major. Water is very important for life. In fact, there is a saying that: “Water is life.” Both animals and plants cannot actually survive without water. Hon. Speaker, this Bill is very important because even internationally, if you look at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which have been passed by the United Nations, goal number six is clean water and sanitation by 2030. That is when the SDGs will expire and we hope we shall have achieved the initiative to supply clean water and clean sanitation to majority of Kenyans. Hon. Speaker, some of the issues were just on definitions. One of the issues that were clarified very easily was the fact that some terminologies like “wetlands” were used yet they were not defined. We made an attempt to have them defined so that the body of the Bill and page on definitions were consistent. So, that was clarified and there were no major difficulties between us and the Senate. There was also an element of consistency. For instance, there was reference to Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act of 2015. In essence, what was referred to was Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act of 1999 because it is the one which was applicable. These are some of the things that we ironed out very quickly and the Bill is now okay. Hon. Speaker, it is very important to note that one of the issues which our Committee had a problem with was monopolies of water providers in counties. The Senate had proposed that we have single water services providers per county. We did not feel it was necessary and we thought it was actually restrictive and we wanted to open up opportunities to everybody who has capacity to supply water in a competent manner to do it. This was clearly and easily solved and the issue of monopoly was removed. Right now, many more players can actually participate in water service provision. Hon. Speaker, there was a very important issue of the Water Trust Fund. Previously it could extend their loans or grants to non-registered organisations. This is what was clarified in the Mediation Committee. It is important to say that right now, the current version of the Mediated Bill, the Water Trust Fund can only deal with registered community organisations. What does it imply? It implies that in case of loans, there would be actually a higher repayment rate and somebody would be taken to account in case of defaulting. Previously, this was not happening and money used to be loaned to non-registered organisations and follow up was actually a problem. I would like to support this mediated version and I would like to second it. Before I wind up, I would like to make a comment. This morning I was seated with Hon. Chrisantus Wamalwa who is actually in the House. There was something going round in the social media saying that he is in Rio enjoying himself. I want to confirm to the world that he is in Kenya and he is here with us. I second."
}