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{
    "id": 707835,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/707835/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 327,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Emanikor",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1092,
        "legal_name": "Joyce Akai Emanikor",
        "slug": "joyce-akai-emanikor"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I want to thank the Chairperson of the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity and his Committee for coming up with the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill which is responding to the needs of millions of conflict ridden pastoralists who have fallen victim to cattle rustling. When people hear of cattle rustling, they just think of cattle being stolen. It is much more than that. You cannot compare it to the theft of millions of shillings from banks. It is about people’s lives. It is about loss of livestock, which is a livelihood. It is about loss of food security. It is about property, infrastructure, schools and, water facilities which have been burnt. It is about abductions, kidnapping and rape. I do not know whether we need to capture all that in the definition. Cattle rustling does not include all that but that is what usually takes place when there is cattle rustling. It is about displacement of thousands of people who lose their homes. It is about displacement of schools, institutions of learning and other institutions of public services. It is about destitution and poverty. This is what has exacerbated poverty in this country. All these are synonymous with those communities that have engaged in cattle rustling. Those communities have no idea what is going on in the rest of Kenya because they are preoccupied with how they should protect themselves and acquire cattle for social purposes and, for feeding, at any cost, including loss of lives. I am happy that the definitions provided in this Bill will help criminalise this practice and subject the culprits to the required penalties. I am happy about the 15 year prison sentence. It should be more. That is adequate enough to cause deterrence and even punish the people. The Bill takes care of those who handle stolen livestock. This is where politicians and leaders who incite and partake in the business of selling stolen livestock and benefit come in. This is where security officers who take sides while handling those issues come in. I would be interested to see what the Bill says about the reformed warriors because the Jubilee Government has finally secured peace between the Turkana and Pokot. For the last two years, we have been able to sleep peacefully. For the last two years, the Turkana and Pokot women have been able to get babies. Initially, their husbands were in the bush all their lives and they are now living happy family lives thanks to the Jubilee Government. This Bill will just compound what the Government has already started. I hope it will happen with the other communities which have not attained peace. This includes the Samburu, the people in Laikipia and Isiolo. People have used cattle rustling as a disguise to promote tribalism, nepotism, torture and segregation in counties where different communities live together. Those are things we need to look at. As a victim of cattle rustling and conflict in the North Rift, I know what it means to thank the Government for the peace that is now prevailing. I have personally lost close to 1,000 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."
}