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{
    "id": 726412,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/726412/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 806,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Okoth",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12482,
        "legal_name": "Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth",
        "slug": "kenneth-odhiambo-okoth"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I rise to support and thank the Public Investments Committee (PIC) for bringing this Report on Procurement and Financing of the NSSF Tassia II Project. This Report and the Tassia saga raises a number of important issues that we need to think about. As a Member for Kibra, who believes in the rule of law, it is important for us to pay attention to procurement procedures – and the legality and validity of contracts. Yesterday, the court ruled about the validity of a contract and agreement that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) entered into when the commissioners were not in place. That ruling might affect the election date. Members tasked with handling public money and those leading public bodies should be scrupulous about following the laws, unless there is conspiracy that we are not paying attention to, whereby members and leaders of such organisations collude to commit intentional errors. When they are taken to court, it results into profits for favoured legal firms in this country and for extending their procedures so that other people can benefit through that technical argument about the process and its cost rather than delivering the required projects. I would like to talk about the issue of squatters rights in this country. This House passed the Internally Displaced Persons Act in 2012. That law speaks clearly about displacement that is initiated because of development projects, whether by Government agencies or private actors. The law is clear about the rights of the people displaced, whether they are squatters or slum dwellers in constituencies. In Kibra, a road is being built and we have gone to request for compensation in vain. The law says that people must be compensated and consulted. Any displacement must be done in a humane way that looks to the highest possible way the human rights standards of the people. If you are building a road or any other development project, you must make sure that you leave the affected people better than you found them. That is the principle. But Government agencies such as the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Ministry of Roads just want to bulldoze. The court has ordered them to consult those who will be affected but they are ignoring it. They do not want any proper engagement with the people to list and compensate those who will be affected. Those affected should be given a chance so that they can know where they will be resettled and compensated. Where are they moving schools? We are going into elections and two polling centres are in the middle of a place where KURA is planning to build a road. We have not been told what will happen to the registered voters. Those are the only polling centres for Lindi Ward. It is interesting to see how squatters have been handled in that Tassia Project. Some people might say that squatters took advantage of a system, but we must look into that issue critically. One Member mentioned the role of politicians in inciting and collaborating with squatters to take advantage of the situation. We must know people with inside information to orchestrate such a thing. Whatever is done in terms of development, human rights of the people who live there must be considered. If they are genuine squatters and the downtrodden members of our society, they must be compensated and given a 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."
}