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{
    "id": 757930,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/757930/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 155,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kubai Iringo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1574,
        "legal_name": "Cyprian Kubai Iringo",
        "slug": "cyprian-kubai-iringo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Motion. Before I make my comments, let me congratulate you on your election today. As I said, you are up to the task. I am looking forward to good working relations with you and the rest of your team. I stand to support this Motion that we ratify the same and let our Ministry sign it because we are part and parcel of this process. More so, having our country included would make us benefit more from our great river. When we received this Agreement in the last Parliament, which I had the privilege of being a member of the Committee on Regional Integration, we had a lot of problems when we went to Tanzania. We wanted them to accept it and they supported us. But the problem was with Egypt and Sudan. Sudan and South Sudan had not been included. I hope they will be included in the treaty because they are part of us. The Nile Treaty covers the countries that are already listed here and South Sudan. Therefore, we saw no reason why Sudan and Egypt wanted the monopoly of controlling the Nile Basin whereas we all know that the waters of the Nile originate from East Africa. There are many rivers flowing from Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Kenya into Lake Victoria, where River Nile originates. If it were not for these rivers, then we would not be having the fresh water in River Nile. Therefore, the argument was that because these treaties have been renewed years over, they have always been favouring Egypt. Therefore, when we went for the last conference, it became a big bone of contention. Egypt insisted that they have to remain with this clause. I quote: “Except with the prior consent of the Egyptian Government, no irrigation works shall be undertaken, no electricity generation installed along the Nile and its branches nor the lakes from which it flows if these lakes are situated in Sudan or in countries under British administration, which could jeopardise the interest of Egypt.” This means the Egyptians wanted to make the waters of the Nile theirs because they say that is where their livelihood comes from. But the argument is that these waters - and water in general - should be used by everybody. That is why the British Government came in to protect their colonies and put in these measures so that the other East African countries and other countries can benefit from the waters of the Nile. Once that was refused, the numbers which accepted were more than those that refused. With the changes that were being made, we were not making drastic changes in the 1929 treaty; there were only amendments which the Egyptians have refused. Fortunately, our Kenyan Government is ready to accept. Once we accept and pay to the CFA and other countries pay, they will be binding. This Parliament is bound by Article 39 that once we pass as a Parliament, our country will be bound by it. We shall pay the dues. We shall be members of this Agreement and we shall reap the benefits, with Sudan or Egypt agreeing to it or not. 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."
}