Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 820479,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/820479/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 193,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Halake",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13184,
        "legal_name": "Abshiro Soka Halake",
        "slug": "abshiro-soka-halake"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to that of my colleagues on the issue of Solai Dam Tragedy. It is with great sadness that we keep talking about innocent loss of lives. It appears to me that the lives of the poor do not really count because the manner in which young lives or the lives of people that are less privileged in this country is handled just boggles the mind. Madam Temporary Speaker, before I go into detail, please allow me to congratulate the ad hoc Committee that was set up to look into the Solai Tragedy for a very fine piece of work. We are very proud, as the Senate, to be associated with this Committee that stands for the greater good of this country. Some Members of the Committee went against immense and back stage pressure from different sources and decided that this country is greater than anything that is in their personal interest. For that reason, I would like to congratulate the Chairperson of the Committee, Sen. Mutual Kilonzo Jnr. and other Members of the Committee including Sen. Kasanga, Sen. Sakaja, Sen. (Prof.) Ekal and Sen. Olekina for standing up for Kenyans against impunity and making this House very proud. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I stand here, I am aware that not everybody signed the Committee Report. I do not wish to cast aspersions on anybody, but I would like to say that our country is better because of those who have stood for its greater good and not for personal interests. They have overcome arm-twisting and sacrificed. Having read the Report, the observations that were listed in it are mind boggling. I have said before, informally, that the Solai Dam tragedy Report should mark a turning point for this country. We should use the recommendations of the Solai Dam tragedy Report to fix the many issues that ail our country. The systems, processes, institutions, values and culture of this country have gone to the dogs. The people who are vested with the responsibility to protect the systems of this country have failed us. Mr. Perry Mansukh, who is the owner of Solai Dam, represents many of these faceless people that have brought impunity in this country. When a private investor dams a whole river and becomes the sole provider of water to the residents of an entire region, what does that say about our country? We have the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and agencies like the Water Resource Management Authority (WARMA), the National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA) and so on. It is not about all of us drawing salaries and living a good life; we are supposed to look after these issues. I am told that the water was dammed on Watkins River without proper procedure being followed, but nobody is enforcing it. The people of Solai only drink water as and when Mr. Perry Mansukh decides. What kind of leaders preside over that kind of impunity? Madam Temporary Speaker, I could read the recommendations, but I am sure that all of you have read them. I do not know what to call this level of impunity. A revolution is in the offing in this country. This revolution is not about tribes or where we come from. 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."
}