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{
    "id": 74721,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/74721/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 324,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "issue. Both children and old people are dying. We may be supplying food or giving some bit of medication but, surely, is that all they need? They need more than that. We are talking about giving them tarpaulins so that they can continue to stay there. That should not be the way to go today. We should be giving a firm position from the Government about what we need to do to safeguard the lives of these people. So, I want to ask that one Minister takes up this responsibility so that we do not have to pass the buck all the time. One time we are told it is the Ministry of Lands and the other time it is the Minister of State for Special Programmes. We have four camps in Rongai alone and all that we can get from the Government is basically food, occasionally. Concerning their security, yes, we have a bit of it but these people have been hearing the Government say that within a very short time---in fact, they have been given some timelines that before such and such a period they would be moved to where they would call home. We want to get a firm position from the Government that at the end of this year, indeed, they are going to do it. But I do not imagine that they can do what they have not been able to do in three weeks. This issue of IDPs cropped up after the 2007 elections. People have been out there in the rains. I am suggesting that today we agree as a Government that one Ministry will be given the responsibility of resettling IDPS. Somebody should take responsibility. Now, there are excuses all over the place that the Ministry of Lands has not bought land and the Ministry of Finance has not allocated funds. But as far as we know, there has been talk of Kshs3.6 billion having been allocated for this purpose. Why is it that land has not been bought and people resettled? When I visit my constituency, there are places I do not pass because IDPs shout that they have been ignored by their MP. The question they keep asking is: “For how long are we going to remain in this camp? What is the Government saying about us?” We want to say categorically here that our position is that we have one Minister handling this matter, otherwise the situation is not good out there. If we are thinking of giving them other tarpaulins, that is very bad. Let us give them what they would call a home. We should also consider the integrated IDPs. We have had very bad situations like the disaster we had at the beginning of this year where floods killed a big number of people. Those people who were displaced are still staying out there in a school compound. They have been there for the last nine months and we wish that they would be accommodated along with these other Kenyans who have been disadvantaged because of what happened in 2007. With those few remarks, I urge the Minister to move with speed to ensure that he finds land, of course, after getting money. After getting the money, the Minister should deal with this case. That is the only way we can be able to judge whether the agencies concerned are doing their bit or not. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity."
}