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{
    "id": 783294,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/783294/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 126,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Atandi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13290,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Onunga Atandi",
        "slug": "samuel-onunga-atandi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I rise to support this Motion as amended. North Eastern is very unique. My knowledge about the police, I talk to a lot of police officers, is such that when junior police officers are in a problem with their bosses, they are normally posted to North Eastern Kenya because it is considered a hostile environment even by the officers themselves. This is a very special region. Most importantly, North Eastern is also the entry point for the dreaded Al Shabaab. When they want to move into Kenya, they go through North Eastern. In my opinion, we need to make a special case for North Eastern Kenya for the reasons that I have cited. Police officers have been abused in this country by the regimes that we have seen. During the last elections, we saw police officers being used to harass, to maim and to kill opponents of the regime. This has extended even to the leadership of the police itself. Since the promulgation of the new Constitution in 2010 and the creation of the NPSC, there have been attempts to professionalise the police force. I was surprised during last year’s election that the Chairman of the NPSC was also involved in campaigns; a man who is supposed to supervise this very important Commission charged with protecting the lives and property of Kenyans. This House needs to fast-track the police reforms. The Leader of the Minority Party who spoke earlier intimated that the process of police reforms has somehow stalled. I would like to call upon His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and His Excellency the Rt. Hon. Amollo Odinga to fast-track the police reforms so that this country can have a police service that can attend to the challenges of insecurity in this country. I would also like to join my colleagues who have said that the police need to be accorded proper housing. One of the aspects of the police reforms is the welfare of the police officers. We have police officers who take care of us and most of the time you find that you have to go deep into your pockets to ensure that they are also safe, well rested and well fed. This clearly needs to be the work of the Government and this House to ensure that it is done. Presently, the NG-CDF takes care of some aspects of security. I propose in reference to the police housing that the Budget and Appropriations Committee considers placing additional resources on NG-CDF so that we are able to take care of the police housing within our constituencies. Presently, I know most Members have attempted to address the challenges facing the police in their various constituencies by way of allocating part of the limited resources that we have within the NGCDF. If we could make a special provision for the police from the resources within the NG- CDF, specifically to take care of the police housing, then, in a way we would be addressing this challenge of police welfare. Otherwise, it will be in vain to continue to pass Motions in the House which, in most cases – I really doubt whether they get the attention they need – I hope the Executive is looking at how we pass these Motions. We are seeking to address some of the issues we raise here. That is an issue that I also wanted to check and see whether these things will work. For the immediate results, let us as a House find a way through which we can ensure we address the challenges of police housing and welfare to the level of the constituencies. In this respect, we will make some progress. As it is, I do not think the Government is doing what it takes to ensure the challenges facing the police and the police service are being addressed. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}