Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 815025,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/815025/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 170,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Seneta",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 611,
        "legal_name": "Mary Yiane Senata",
        "slug": "mary-yiane-senata"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for also giving me a chance to add my voice to this Bill. Before I do that, I wish to first confirm my stand and support for the Government initiative to conserve and protect the Mau Forest. As the delegation from Kajiado County, we shall support the Government initiative to conserve not only the Mau Forest, but all other catchment areas in order to protect our water bodies in the country. This is because we cannot talk about food security as a country without talking about water. Similarly, we cannot talk about manufacturing or housing as our agenda without talking about water. Therefore, as the people of Kajiado, we want to support the Government initiative. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, from the outset, this Bill is unconstitutional. It is one of those Bills that does not recognize the role of constitutional bodies like county governments and county assemblies, which are mandated to do regulations or policies concerning counties. It does not also recognize the mandate of the Senate which is to protect the interests of counties. This Bill also intends to duplicate the work of different departments and agencies like the National Irrigation Board (NIB), which has always been there. It is just duplicating roles. There is no need for us to baptise some old government institutions. What we legally do is to look into where they have failed; where there is a gap and we can give more strength, rather than baptize them. This Bill also seeks to sideline the county governments by developing irrigation water sources. If you may allow me to read, this Bill through the Water Resource Authority, puts strategies to develop new irrigation water sources, including water harvesting, floods control and storage for irrigation. The Bill also puts appropriate arrangements on inter-catchment transfers for water irrigation, in consultation with county governments and water resources. So, the Bill denies county governments the capacity and authority to look at the sources of water they can develop and the capacities they have. We have counties with seasonal and permanent rivers and those with big pieces of land, where they can develop dams. However, this Bill still gives the National Irrigation 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."
}