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{
    "id": 691184,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/691184/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Lomwa",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1602,
        "legal_name": "Joseph Samal Lomwa",
        "slug": "joseph-samal-lomwa"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I have waited for so long. It is because of my community background that is loyal and obedient. That expresses a lot of patience. I rise to support this Motion. I support it on several grounds. When I look back at the previous engagements with the British training, particularly in the three counties of Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo, they have been very much beneficial, apart from the huge occupancy of community land, which is particularly in Lesesia. Lesesia happens to be in Samburu County. It is the community that is mostly affected. Those were the most affected people as the Member of Parliament has rightfully put it. In Laikipia County, many of the affected people were in Mukogondo Division. Everything comes with its highs and lows. There are quite a lot of positive and negative things that we have seen in the direct and indirect engagements with the British Army. The reckless dumping and dropping of unexploded military ordinances cost lives in the past and will continue to cause a lot of fear to the pastoralists. They will end up losing their livelihood. Bearing in mind that the pastoralists’ livelihood is mostly dependent on livestock keeping, this has caused a lot of restriction of grazing due to fear of effect to both humans and livestock. It is prudent, therefore, that the Government takes into consideration the process of enhancing negotiations and taking advantage of opportunities like capacity-building of the local people in the affected areas in order to reduce stress and potential for loss of lives and livelihoods. Being a leader from that region, I expect that there will be a lot of sensitisation of the locals within the training areas due to the effects of such matters. I expect the exercise, particularly the one conducted at the individual private ranches, to trickle down to the local people so that they can see the direct benefits associated with the training of the army. The other issue is on encroachment. In my county, there is a location known as Burat where, in the process of engagement and development of a working relationship between the Kenyan and the British Governments, there is a training camp known as a school of infantry which has encroached a lot on community land. This has affected the economic establishment of those communities and created drawbacks in that community. There is quite a lot of investment in the country which benefits bilateral relations. For instance, investment by the Department for International Development (DFID), which is one of the bilateral arms of the British Government, has committed a lot of resources in the areas of water, health, education, sustainable livelihood and support of other socio-economic activities. Through various civil society organisations (CSOs) and direct engagement with the Government in the past and the long co-operation, many people have benefitted in the process. We do not want to lose the good will and intentions, but we are also not ready to compromise the interests, aspirations and the livelihood of the Kenyan citizens without proper realisation of certain gains. The relations between our Defence Forces and the British Government in Kenya add a lot of value in ensuring that our country is secure. More particularly, in Isiolo, we are surrounded by 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."
}