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{
    "id": 779919,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/779919/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 367,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Rev.) Waqo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13178,
        "legal_name": "Naomi Jilo Waqo",
        "slug": "naomi-jilo-waqo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I stand to congratulate Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. for coming up with the County Boundaries Bill (Senate Bills No.6 of 2017), that will support us. I would also like to thank and appreciate him for being a visionary leader. As many hon. Members have said, this is something that needed to have happened a long time ago, but it is okay to do it even now and in a good way. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Bill because of the challenges that we have gone through as Kenyans. Many hon. Members have expressed the challenges they have in their inter-county boundaries and also the boundaries with our neighbouring countries. I come from the border of Kenya and Ethiopia and we have always had challenges and conflicts. The lack of a proper demarcation has caused some of the challenges that we have gone through. When I went through the proposed Bill, I found that it provides a mechanism for resolution which will help us to overcome some of the conflicts that we have had on the ground. Part two of the Bill talks of the county boundaries while part three talks of management of disputes, which will promote cohesion. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, The Bill also provides the procedure for alteration of county boundaries. We currently have a case with Turkana County because of Lake Turkana. We are wondering whether the lake is in Marsabit or Turkana county. Just last week, we were advised on how the case is going on. It is my prayer that this Bill will solve some of these problems. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Bill also proposes the establishment of an Independent County Boundaries Commission at the ground level, where they will sit, listen and resolve all their problems. Having looked at the Bill under Part II, I was especially excited by Clause 4(1), which states that:- “The Cabinet Secretary shall keep and shall, upon request by any person, make available an up-to-date electronic record of the boundaries of the counties” This is what we are currently lacking and having a lot of challenges with. People have fought over boundaries. Some of our political leaders have been given names and have fought in the past because some people suspected that they had ‘eaten’ money and compromised our boundaries. So, this Clause will help to resolve some of our problems. Clause 4(3), under the same Part II says that:- “Any person who unlawfully interferes with the records kept under this section commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of two million shillings or to five years imprisonment or to both. This is also very protective to our people on the ground and, for those reasons, I support this Bill and thank the Senator who has brought it. I beg to support."
}