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{
    "id": 691096,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/691096/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 164,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kimaru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2072,
        "legal_name": "Anthony Mutahi Kimaru",
        "slug": "anthony-mutahi-kimaru"
    },
    "content": "We have heard talk about unexploded ordinances that cause accidents. Military activities are hazardous and dangerous not only to outsiders, but even to the military people themselves. Accidents happen even during the training sessions, and they might affect the British or even the locals. In the last 10 years - I can authoritatively speak about Laikipia with regard to military accidents - we have had only one accident where a boy accidentally ventured into the training area and his limbs were blown off. That issue is being handled. Communities are being sensitized to understand that the training areas belong to both the British Government and the Kenyan Government. The communities are being sensitized not to venture into those areas because as much as both the Forces try to clean up the training grounds, you may occasionally come across unexploded ordinances. In that case that I have just mentioned where a young man’s limbs were blown off, I would like to applaud the British Government for taking extra measures to give him medical attention. He is being attended to even right now. Everything is being done to ensure that he goes back to his normal way of life. There has been an undertaking by the British Government to employ and take care of that young man for as long as they are here and for as long as he lives. We get about Kshs600 million every year for the leasing of the training grounds. Unfortunately, that has been skewed and people who get that income are the white settlers. We had a meeting today with the British High Commission and we agreed that a great portion of that income that has been going to only one section of the population shall now be distributed to impact on all populations within Isiolo, Laikipia and Samburu counties. We have a follow up on the matter next week with the Commander of British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) to ensure that those arrangements are finally straightened out. There have been difficulties because most of those community lands do not have title deeds. I believe that the issue of title deeds for those training grounds can be sorted out. Eventually, we shall have an arrangement where the local communities will benefit from the money that is generated from those training grounds. It will be good if we strike an agreement to ensure that, at least, 50 per cent of that money goes to the local people. We do not want handouts. The British can lease properties and community ranches that 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."
}