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{
    "id": 837132,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/837132/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 58,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will be brief. The problems in Murang’a are not unique because we have similar problems in Kajiado, Machakos and Makueni. Many Senators are aware of the wrangles we have been having. The Governor of Kajiado, Hon. Joseph Ole Lenku, has taken up that the water from Mt. Kilimanjaro belongs to Kajiado. Therefore, the people of Makueni and Machakos are being denied water. The management of the water company is being done by Kajiado. These problems are not unique. When the Senate Majority Leader was the Chairman of the Committee on Devolved Governments, we used to have a method of making sure that things do not escalate to the levels where county governments have a face-off with the national Government. Maybe the Senate Majority Leader should use his Office to ensure that we cushion county governments. Murang’a County has a point but the manner in which this matter is being handled is wrong. Kajiado County has a point but the way the Governor has handled the matter is wrong because water from Mt. Kilimanjaro does not belong to Kajiado. Otherwise the water would come to Kajiado and go back to Mt. Kilimanjaro if it belonged to Kajiado. The point is that they must find a way of handling resources. These are national resources. There is no way a county can own water. We can accept if it is a dam but not a river. Just like we handled matters in Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County, the Senate Majority Leader should find a method on how to protect the people of Murang’a. We should have a good method of handling this issue because it does not only affect Murang’a County alone but the whole country generally. We should have a method of handling such issue on the function of water and sanitation. There is a lot of strong-arm tactics by the national Government where the Cabinet Secretary issues blanket statements without necessarily considering or sitting with county governments. Lastly the intergovernmental relations and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes are also lacking. We must find a way of dealing with these matters without them escalating to the manner in which Sen. Kang’ata has stated. I thank you."
}