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{
    "id": 697379,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/697379/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 84,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Oyugi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 444,
        "legal_name": "Augostinho Neto Oyugi",
        "slug": "augostinho-neto-oyugi"
    },
    "content": "Article 55 of the Constitution shows that children of Kenya have rights. The State is supposed to take progressive steps in helping the children of Kenya realise their various rights. This Policy seeks to respond to facilitating the enjoyment of quality life for all children in Kenya. As we speak, children in far-flung areas and in various parts of this country; northern Kenya and the Lake region included are dying of cholera, malaria and malnutrition. These children of Kenya are not enjoying the quality of life that is their constitutional aspiration. The second thing this Policy seeks to do is to recognise and provide assistance to vulnerable children and their households so as to guarantee their socio-economic needs. When I started, I said that the number of orphan-led households is on the increase in this country. There are very many parents who died of HIV and AIDS and other diseases. There was a fund that was put in place for orphans and vulnerable children. If we are to ensure that the children of this country enjoy quality life, then we must ensure that the fund for orphans and vulnerable children is no longer a pilot project. It ought to be cascaded to the various family households so that at least the orphans and vulnerable children are able to realise their socio-economic needs. There are those children who have special needs and are always in conflict. I am talking about children in pastoralist communities, those subject to cattle rustling and those who are always in warring and feuding communities. Those children ought to be protected from the various dangers and perils that they are subjected to in those various communities. I would like to speak to something that the Member for Nakuru West almost spoke to. We should ensure that children are protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation. There is a rise in cases of young girls being subjected to all manner of abuse from male adults. We have also seen very many young boys being subjected to all manner of treatment by female adults. We need to stop this country from being savage. We recently saw elected leaders in Kisii County performing very deplorable acts. We need to do whatever is possible within the meaning of the law to ensure that children of this country realise their rights. I took a tour a couple of months ago to Mt. Elgon and sections of Trans Nzoia County. The acts of female genital mutilation and early child marriages are still on the rise. You find that in communities amongst the Marakwet and Mt. Elgon regions, young girls are being subjected to marriage and taken away from school. I hope that if this particular Policy is put in place, we will bring those acts to rest. Because I see the warning light is on, I would just like to say that it is good to fast-track implementation of this particular Policy. We hope that this Policy will respond to the needs and aspirations of the Constitution, the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the African Charter on the Welfare of the Child. With those many remarks, I support the adoption of this Policy."
}