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{
    "id": 971534,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/971534/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 279,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Milgo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13174,
        "legal_name": "Milgo Alice Chepkorir",
        "slug": "milgo-alice-chepkorir"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as the society changes, various methods of disposing the dead will have to be embraced. That is why crematoria may become important even to those who now feel that it is a taboo. The Fourth Schedule of the Constitution delegates funeral parlours and crematoria to county governments. However, due to mismanagement, corruption and inefficiencies by the NLC, these devolved units are not able to find public land to be set aside for public utilities, such as cemeteries and other facilities to honour those who have transitioned. Even replacing those that are already full is a great challenge. Additionally, just like all other functions, funding has not followed. Therefore, the county governments find it a challenge to provide these particular facilities. This means that most of the cemeteries around the country, notable among them, Nakuru North Cemetery and Njoro Cemetery are already full. They were declared full eight years back, but right now, they are still being used. That means that there is digging and re-digging of the graves. This is disrespectful to the dead. That is a breach of the right to a clean and healthy environment, as stipulated in Articles 42 and 71(2)(a) and (b) of the Constitution, and the Public Health Act. These three facilities have become a challenge. The Langata Cemetery must be full right now. It was actually a subject of a corruption case, which involved the Mavoko Cemetery that was about 120 acres of land. It cost the public over Kshs293 million. This is not even the end of the story. It led to the former Nairobi Town Clerk, the late Mr. John Gakuo and the former Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Kirui, who comes from my county, being imprisoned for three years. That same parcel of land was declared unfit for cemeteries. To date, that position has not been restored, and the status in Langata Cemetery is still the same. I may not mention all cemeteries, but many of them have a lot of challenges due to mismanagement and lack of funding to maintain them. You will find that many of them are bushy, unfenced and have become grazing grounds and hideouts for thieves. In Njoro, for example, bodaboda riders have made a short cut across the main cemetery while Nakuru North Cemetery has been made a dumping site. This will cause another health hazard. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, someone looked at this Motion and asked me what will be done about funeral homes and crematoriums. I told them we require healthy areas to live in, but we will also require these three facilities when we transition to the other side. These few challenges that I have mentioned are enough to call on board of the National Land Commission (NLC) as well as county governments to restore order and sanity and provide these important facilities in all the counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to move and request Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve to second the Motion."
}