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{
    "id": 776999,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/776999/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 282,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "living in slums face many challenges, especially the issue of insecurity because of congestion and the poverty levels in those areas. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know very well that the people living in slums live together as families. They integrate and share whatever little they have. Because of the poverty levels, the crime rate is very high. I believe as a citizen and as a country, we need to deal with those issues. That is why we have come up with this particular Policy to address all these issues. There are several challenges that this Policy is addressing. There is the issue of insecurity that is affecting our country. This Policy has several objectives that we need to look at in terms of ensuring the citizens in our country are provided and accorded the rights to several aspects that affect their lives. The Policy provides the legal framework where the slum upgrading should take place, empower households living in slums facilities, secure communities and stakeholder’s participation, transparency and accountability. For example, the criminals living in those areas should be held accountable. This is something good that we need to put in place. We need to provide the legal and institutional framework to guide coordinated and accountable implementation of slum upgrading. Unless we have those structures in place, slums in our country are going to face a lot of problems. The strategies expected out of this Policy are to provide a dignified livelihood for slum-dwellers in our country, inclusive and integrated human settlements where they have proper life, holistic and consistent slum upgrading programmes and secure tenure for slums and empowerment participation of all the actors in pour country. Even the land tenure within the slums is not secure. A very good example is Kibera slums where you will find that the people living there have been there historically but they do not own those parcels of land because of the land tenure system that needs to be considered. I believe this Policy will address those factors. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are several issues that this Policy addresses in our country, more specifically security and safety issues which are major problems in slums. People living and working in slums are exposed to various adverse security and safety issues that range from violence, rape, floods, among others. The drainage systems in those slums are not properly provided for. If we have this Policy in place, it can assist the people living in those slums so that the Government can plan properly and put drainage systems in place. Sometimes, most of those slums are flooded and the people get sick as a result of poor drainage. There are so many crimes which take place in slums. If we look back at what happened in the post-election violence, most of the affected areas are slums where the women and young girls were raped. There are a lot of issues this Policy is addressing. There is lack of neighborhood and residents’ associations to advocate for improved living conditions. There is need to increase police patrols responding to population size and settlement. We have to come up with a mechanism where we can say a certain number of people should live in a particular slum. If we do not control this, then it means that people will keep on moving from rural areas to settle in urban areas while looking for jobs. There is need to encourage the formation of slum neighborhood associations. We must have good neighborhoods within the slums and urban areas where people can live 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"
}