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{
    "id": 707382,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/707382/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 104,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Dr.) H.K. Njuguna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1508,
        "legal_name": "Humphrey Kimani Njuguna",
        "slug": "humphrey-kimani-njuguna"
    },
    "content": "pasture means that they should own livestock. These are people running away from their countries in order to seek a temporary home here and yet we are now saying that they can access employment, pasture and business. The Committee felt this will be very unwise to our people and could raise serious issues of conflict. It, therefore, needs to be interrogated. Indeed, this is an area the Committee will bring amendments. We feel that a visitor cannot be given prominence to a point where he replaces the owners of the home. When you give this visitor employment and allow them to do business and cultivate, then where is the place of Kenyans in such a scenario? I remember when we visited Dadaab Refugee Camp the host community raised serious issues with regard to employment, business, and pasture. There is already a conflict. So, if this Bill is going to worsen such a conflict, then we need to re-think it. The interests of Kenyans should not be compromised; at least not the right to access land for cultivation and pasture and entitlement to free education. We noted that UNHCR has already provided very good education to refugees. When we say that Kenya should struggle to provide free education to refugees are we aware of the fact that this country is host to over one million refugees? Are we saying that this country should carry the burden of free education? The UNHCR is already providing very good education. So, let us re-think what we are talking about. Should our country provide free education to refugees? This is an area where the Committee is going to introduce amendments such that the interest of the host communities and Kenyans at large are not compromised. We have had very serious experiences for over 25 years with the refugees in this country. As much as we are aligning these issues to the requirements by the international community and international treaties, the interests of Kenyans are paramount. The Committee noted that resettlement of refugees provided for in the Bill is open ended. Are we saying we can host ten million refugees? In terms of numbers, to what extent can Kenya host refugees? In Dadaab, we have depleted the water table. The environment there has been hard hit. When you have 400 refugees in one camp, you can imagine the environmental effects. This proposal is open ended. As a country, how many refugees can we host at one particular time? This is also an issue that the Committee would want to review in terms of amendments. Hon. Deputy Speaker, those are the observations of the Committee. In general, we support the Bill, but with the amendments that we shall be introducing at an appropriate time."
}