Nyatike MP Tom Odege wants sub counties classified as hardship areas
Members of Parliament in the National Assembly have asked the government to provide a clear criterion for determining and gazettement of hardship areas in the country.
The MPs made the call during debate on a petition filed by Nyatike MP Tom Odege, who sought the recognition of Nyatike West, Nyatike North and Nyatike South Sub-Counties as hardship areas.
According to the petition, Nyatike constituency has been facing challenges in accessing basic government services such as issuance of birth and death certificates due to the lack of staff and infrastructure.
The petition also says that the constituency met the criteria for being classified as a hardship area, but the government and the relevant ministry and agencies had not implemented it.
During the debate, a number of MPs supported the petition expressing their frustration over the lack of clarity and consistency in the gazettement of hardship areas.
North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood said there needed to be a policy to ensure that all areas are treated equally.
“We cannot have a situation where some areas are left out while others are included without any justification,” he said.
Nyando MP Jared Okello said that the issue had been raised in the previous Parliaments, but there was no clear direction on which office was responsible for it.
He urged the Speaker of the House to intervene and give guidance on the matter.
“This is a matter of national importance that affects the lives and livelihoods of many Kenyans. We cannot afford to delay or ignore it any longer,” said Okello.
Gilgil MP Martha Wangari said that she had brought a similar petition for Gilgil in the 12th Parliament, but it was not clear who was supposed to gazette the areas as hardship areas.
She also questioned the parameters used to decide that an area was a hardship area, noting that some areas within her county were more arid than others.
“The wider issue here is to make it clear who is responsible for the gazettement. Secondly what are the parameters that are used to decide that an area is an arid area,” she said.
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