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{
    "id": 707464,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/707464/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 186,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Abongotum",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 165,
        "legal_name": "Asman Abongutum Kamama",
        "slug": "asman-kamama"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for granting me the opportunity to ventilate and say something about this Bill. This is a very comprehensive Bill authored by my good friend, Hon. Neto. As a Committee, we have done a lot with him to ensure that a lot of panel beating is done to this Bill. Like other Members, I support the repeal of the Refugee Act (Cap.173) because we have made provisions that have been incorporated. It is all in line with the Refugee Convention of 1951, the OAU Convention and the Refugee Protocol of 1967. All these have been incorporated and given effect. A lot of new clauses have been brought on board, for example, provisions on the Kenya Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, the Refugee Secretariat and the Refugee Status Appeal Board. These structures will address the administrative issues and the legal framework on the issue of refugees. I am happy we are going to have a national eligibility committee that has powers to revoke cases of those who are not eligible for refugee status. That can be revoked. I support the designation of refugee reception officers, especially at the border, so that people do not just walk in and walk out of our country. Refugees must surrender their weapons at the border before they come to our country. In 1993, I was a very young officer in North Eastern and I worked with Hon. Shidiye when he was a Nominated Member of Parliament. The former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Farah, was the Member for Lagdera and I remember him complaining about refugees. He complained that there was general degradation of the environment, destruction of trees and interference with water points. Somebody should not say that we have benefitted from refugees. One of my colleagues has just mentioned that there are good things. We are not interested in refugees. They just come here because they have their own problems. The leadership in Somalia must stabilise their country. The refugees have brought more problems to our people. Dadaab has been a kindergarten for terrorists and even Kakuma to some extent. The refugees in Kakuma behave a bit better than the ones in Dadaab. We want the Somali Government to stabilise their country, so that these people can go back. In the next six months – because they have been given that extension – these refugees should go back to their country. I support that the refugees must go back. We are not guaranteed of our security with these refugees in Kenya. There are a lot of bad things happening at the Dadaab Refugee Camp. Some Kenyans are even cleared as refugees and they end up in America looking for political asylum yet Kenya has no problem. Why should a Kenyan go to America and say that they have problems? A lot of bad things are taking place in Dadaab. I support the extension of six months, but after that, the refugees must be facilitated to go back to their country. The Somali Government must never relent in looking for peace. Why have they been killing each other for 25 years? For how long are we going to host them? Why must Kenya host them for more than 25 years? The Somali leadership must get serious and stabilise their country to make sure that the Al Shabaab are de- 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."
}