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{
    "id": 767256,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/767256/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
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    "content": "This year, the high number of cows that have died, including those which unfortunately were auctioned in Tanzania, could have been saved if that Authority would have been able to come up with a response mechanism or means of mitigating these droughts. If we harvest this rain water, we can plant a lot of grass. It shocks me that sometimes even in our own counties, we do not educate our people on how to mitigate drought. In Narok County, we have one Mr. Muthuri who I thank very much for having come in and has leased over five thousand acres of land where he is now planting grass. In fact, I had to rush to him the other day to be able to get some grass for my cows. It is imperative that we bring such Motions here and implement them to ensure that we do not only discuss them just for their sake. Just as Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri said, we are not discussing the merits of the Act because it was passed. How do we then implement it? We have to use our constitutional authority as the Senate and Article 96 - protecting the interests of our counties and our county governments - to ensure that the national Government moves fast to save our people. We have areas such as our water catchment areas, the Mau forest and others. We do not even need to discuss anymore. Right now, I am enjoined in a matter which is to protect that catchment area. The moment we ignore such things, then there is nowhere we can ever save our country. These problems we have are man-made If this Government really cares about its citizens, the pastoralist communities in North Eastern, Narok, Marsabit and Kajiado counties, this Act would have been operationalized immediately it was passed. If we can realign our existing resources and tap all this rain water which is now flowing on a daily basis, bringing more destruction in our urban areas and small towns, then we can save our people. I know the previous Senator spoke about the need for water. If you traverse all counties in Kenya, you will not even see water reserves. I agree with the Senator who spoke about big dams which are being built. However, they are only being built in certain areas. We have Itare Dam being built in Kuresoi Constituency. This dam; although it will provide water to Nakuru and Naivasha, it will destroy the ecosystem in Maasai Mara. This year over one million head of cattle were being grazed in the national parks because of lack of water. The whole place was dry. Of course, in the parks, there is plenty of grass because animals migrate inside the parks. However, when a million cows move into the park, they finish all the grass. For us to avoid that, there are serious issues on which we need to educate our people. If this Authority was in place, the Maasai people could be educated that at times it important for them to reduce the number of their animals. This is because I could have ten thousand head of cattle and I have sold all my land. You know nowadays there is no county that can be said to belong to the Maasai although we are trying to fight so hard so that we have one. This is because we, the Maasai, have sold all our land to buy more cows, yet the Government which is supposed to educate us is not doing so. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Motion could not have come at a right time, especially right now when we are still recovering or rather when we are still going through this severe The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}