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"id": 87343,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/87343/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. M.M. Ali",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Ministry of State for Special Programmes",
"speaker": {
"id": 74,
"legal_name": "Ali Mohamud Mohamed",
"slug": "ali-mohamud-mohamed"
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"content": " Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I want to add my voice to this very important Motion, touching on insecurity in Samburu and Isiolo. Having had an opportunity to read this Report, I want to state that I am actually concerned by the state of insecurity in this part of the region. Specifically, it is very disturbing when you realize that in a span of less than two years, you lose the lives of not less than 81 persons in a particular town, specifically Isiolo. This is a very sad situation and I think we are not doing enough as a Government and a nation. This is because early last year, when the situation was getting out of hand, we took part in a peace mission in Isiolo. Following that, we had a high level meeting in Naivasha with the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security and we designed a process to make sure that the internal security machinery was able to deal effectively with the state of insecurity in this part of the region. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, unfortunately, we are not seeing results. When we appended our signatures, as leaders, to a programme of disarmament of the pastoral communities, we thought it would be effective, fair and applied across the board. Unfortunately, I want to state today that, that does not seem to be the case. This is because Isiolo Town is like a town under fire and the Government is just watching. Only yesterday, we lost a Mr. Hassan Abdul Shunu between Theshab and Gashuru areas. I think all Kenyans had an opportunity to see on a video clip mid last year some people armed to the teeth invading a particular place and our soldiers were just standing by watching, and without taking any action. This is an indication that there might be some compromise somewhere. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this has caused people to feel that they are neglected and that the disarmament programme may have been applied selectively. I saw confrontation between Mr. Munya and Mr. Letimalo, when Mr. Munya mentioned that warriors come from a certain part of the region. I was tempted to stand up and say this might be the case, and I just want to say that all of us know where the attackers come from. We all know. Everybody knows. The Government and security agencies know it. Why the hell can we not move in with speed and make sure that all Kenyans are treated equally? As leaders, we have heard people saying that we must encourage our people to be civil, disarm and stop cattle rustling. Indeed, some of us have followed suit and done the same. I want to proudly say that we have encouraged our communities to disarm. Immediately they disarm, they see others arming themselves to the teeth. The playing ground is not level. I am sure you will agree with me that in the past, when everybody was at liberty to go and attack each other, we knew who was a better warrior than the other. We have been able to tell our people that this is a thing of the past. Let us forget. Let us make sure that we are civil. But other parties are arming themselves and attacking our people. We keep watching, and are being encouraged by the Government to continue maintaining peace on the promise that the Government will take action. No action has been taken; yesterday we lost one person. We cannot sit back and just watch. Enough is enough. It is time the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security became serious and delivered on its promise. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker Sir, it as if some people want to cut off Isiolo Town from the rest of the country; we want to discriminate against a certain group of people there, especially the locals. It is as if there is an opportunity ahead. Thanks to the Government, especially the road sector. Today I want to say that in the history of this Republic the 130-kilometre Moyale-Isiolo Road has already been tarmacked. Plans are underway to make sure that the whole stretch is tarmacked. I want to thank the Government for that. This has been able to ease insecurity. Now that the Government has plans to develop Isiolo Town, there are some people who are politically scheming how to manipulate the residents of the town so that the situation can work to their advantage. We want to appeal to the Government to move with speed to convince us that the plans they have for us are actually fair to all the communities. At the moment, I want to submit that the picture which is on the ground is that our agencies are biased. In some cases, they are unable to do their work because they do not have vehicles. They just sit down and watch people do these terrible things. The Report touching on disarmament mentions that over 300 guns were given to a particular tribe and specifically they are talking about Borana. I want to appeal that this be expunged from this record because it appears like one community is favoured, while that is actually the community under siege. Our animals have been driven from Isiolo to a particular direction and they have never been recovered to date. The latest incident, as I have indicated, happened yesterday. This is a community under siege whether deliberately or otherwise. It is like others are supported and aided. We want to call upon the Government to ensure that this is stopped. We want a fair play. We want all Kenyans, wherever they are in this country to be happy to be part of this great nation. We do not want others to be supported and others to be discriminated, so that we can have peace and harmony in this country."
}