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{
    "id": 932735,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/932735/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 417,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Unfortunately, the Cabinet Secretaries in charge of the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and the Ministry of Devolution and ASAL Areas as well as the Regional Commissioner could not fly to West Pokot County yet we needed to see them on the ground. You are the Senator for Uasin Gishu County which is 73 kilometres to West Pokot. We expected the Cabinet Secretaries to even go by road if the choppers were not in working condition. Interestingly, when the Auditor-General raised a red flag on the purchase of military helicopters, the Ministry concerned informed us that the helicopters have night vision and can fly in the dark. I hope that the necessary agencies will be censured. The senior Government officials are taking this issue lightly without the commitment. You can imagine the pain and anguish that the residents of West Pokot County are undergoing yet some people are treating this issue casually. I hope that with the interventions by the national Government and the County Government of West Pokot, the people of West Pokot County will get an opportunity to recuperate as they mourn their loved ones. I hope that systems will be put in place to ensure that the county resumes normalcy. Madam Temporary Speaker, as you may recall, this House passed the Disaster Risk Management Bill (Senate Bills No. 8 of 2018) that was subsequently referred to the National Assembly. Without a proper framework, efforts on disaster and risk and management will continue to fail. A legal and institutional framework will provide clarification concerning the division of tasks to be undertaken on the two levels of government and policy guidelines on how the system should operate in practice during disasters such as the one that occurred in West Pokot County and other areas. I take this opportunity to urge colleagues in the National Assembly to fast-track and expedite the passage of the Bill. The Disaster Risk Management Bill (Senate Bills No. 8 of 2018) will ensure that we have a well-coordinated programme to ensure there is no blame game when a disaster happens. It is sad that the County Government of West Pokot has issued an M-Pesa pay bill number asking for contributions from well-wishers yet we have allocations in the budget that are meant to assist the victims of such disasters. We need to fast-track both institutional and legal frameworks to ensure proper disaster response. Madam Temporary Speaker, resources meant for disaster preparedness should be allocated to the county governments. The national Government should only assist in coordination and logistical support. It is not practical to buy food supplies for the affected families in Nairobi and fly them all the way to West Pokot yet the same supplies can be found in Kapenguria, Kitale, Eldoret and many other neighbouring towns. I urge our colleagues in the National Assembly to expedite the process of passing the Disaster Risk Management Bill (Senate Bills No. 8 of 2018). I hope that the President will assent to the Bill as soon as possible after it is passed in the National Assembly so that we have a law to assist in the management of such disasters. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Meteorological Department has flagged out high risk counties and said that most of the parts of the country will be affected by continued The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}