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{
    "id": 814927,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/814927/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 72,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The question at the top of our minds is: If it has not been for lack of laws and legislation that this reporting to Parliament has not been happening, why is it that somebody wants to cheat us now that if we pass this legislation, they will now be bringing us reports and telling us the state of irrigation programmes that are being done in this country? It is upon the Committee to think creatively because it has been established that human beings respond either to the carrot or the stick. I think we have offered too many carrots and people no longer respond to them. Can we, therefore, consider in law to offer the sticks? By that I mean to consider what will be the remedial measures that will be put in this Bill, such that if the CS does not file the questions that legislators and representatives of the people continue to have about irrigation programmes that are run in this country, what will happen to them? Otherwise, if we continue to propose very good drafted legislation as this, there is nothing that we are solving. We are just becoming slowly by slowly a conveyor belt of Executive orders and not Bills as was thought about in the establishment of Parliament. Mr. Speaker, Sir, secondly, I am worried also under reporting because the Bill speaks about collaboration with county governments to gather information and database on irrigation, development and management, including data on irrigation of water supplies, demands, project and such. What is the specificity of this collaboration? What is it that will trigger a CS, for example, to think through and say: “I have to go to Kericho and meet with the County Government of Kericho and establish what their irrigation needs are. We are representatives of the counties. Therefore, there is an ambiguity in this Bill and I will not support it. I need to see collaboration in each specific county. I want to be assured that the Cabinet Secretary will give me a report and we will collaborate with the County Government of Kericho and identify our irrigation needs. However, by giving them a blank cheque, it might be subject to abuse as it has been the case in the past. We have seen large water dams in counties. I do not think that there are counties that need more dams than others. Given the scarcity of the resources in this country, it would have been prudent for us to know which water project will be initiated in each county. I do not want to lose my point by saying county “X” has more water irrigation projects than they deserve. As I said, it is important for us to identify specific irrigation needs for each county. Part III of the Bill is on the establishment of the National Irrigation Development Authority (NIDA). Anybody who has heard me make my contributions every time we are setting up an authority knows that I hate the obsession of setting up their headquarters in Nairobi. Each authority established by this House has its headquarters in Nairobi. What is this obsession with Nairobi? I love Nairobi City. I was born here and have nothing personal against it. However, when shall we develop other parts of the country? How will Turkana County ever benefit? How will my own county enjoy the services and see Kenyans of diverse walks and backgrounds if every time we establish an authority we restrict it to Nairobi City? Before the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget, we have requests for funding county headquarters. There are many counties that do not have headquarters. I 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."
}