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{
    "id": 727252,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/727252/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 337,
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    "content": "communities on what should be done to end this menace once and for all. There are some basic things that we all have to agree. I agree with Sen. Sang said that it is not good to generalise communities such as Pokots, Marakwets, Samburus or Turkanas. In every other community and even in this town, there are thugs who kill and rob people every day but we have never called them by their names or accused a whole community to be made of thieves or bandits. So, as a nation, we should call bandits, thugs or criminals as such but not by their communities. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I want to go straight to the point. Political leadership has a key role to play in the wellbeing of the people. I have witnessed and I have been involved in peace processes. You can talk about peace committees, grazing communities or everything but political leadership is very vital in the whole aspect of ensuring that communities live in peace. There is also the aspect of quick response even in the things that we are trying to do now. The Government agencies should not wait until the issue has escalated to a point where communities move so far from their areas and they cannot access any amenities such as water, education and anything, let alone even voting. Politicians need to ask themselves who will vote for them if their people will not be in the polling stations. I do not know if stones will vote for them. Why is it that they are not putting as much energy to ensure that their people are safe? I want my colleagues and other leaders in those counties where peace is under threat to know that our people desperately need us to provide effective leadership. If one Senator for one reason or another is not aware of the meetings that are going on, then the top leadership of this country led by His Excellency the President, should call for a peace meeting of all elected leaders of those counties. This issue should be dealt with in the same way as it was dealt with in Pokot and Turkana counties. For a long time, I thought that the Turkana and Pokot issue could not be dealt with because it was politically instigated. Therefore, the solution to this problem lies with political leadership in all those counties. We can take all the reservists there and give them shoot-to-kill orders, but we will achieve very little in term of pacifying those areas. Let us understand the dynamics of those people and their communities. It is important to deploy the army and other security apparatus to beef up the security, but it is equally critical to involve the political leadership so that we get everlasting solution to this problem. We should strive to work for all communities in order to maintain law and order in those counties. It is very unfortunate, especially now that we are getting into general elections. Right now, there is a lot of tension in Samburu, Laikipia and Pokot counties. Some people attribute it to drought. Drought has always been with us in the past. However, this time round it is so severe that many people are suffering. Why is it that conflict escalates every time we are approaching a general election? We will always have excuses of drought and water. The aspect of generalizing leaders by calling them warlords is not good. It is ridiculous to see a person in charge of security sending warnings. They should do their job. They should take action. They escalate tension in other areas when they call another leader a warlord. If you are the boss of the security team---"
}