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"id": 583284,
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"content": "Many of those South Asian countries stayed the way we are for decades until some leaders or rather leadership comes in the country and they take the courage or the cue to move on. May be in our country we have simply resigned. We have something called “resignation syndrome”. This is where you have given up, and accepted importation as a way of life, accepted that you can only get Kshs20 for your potatoes and that is the end of it. You have accepted that instead of making leather from your goats, in fact, nobody wants you to sell it for Kshs10 or Kshs20. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is about time that leaders, including Senators, took the cue to make this country great. I am appealing that we pass this Bill so that we can take the first step. On the Bill itself, we have proposed that there be a County Industrial Development Board. Leaders will sit and discuss, the Members of Parliament, the governor, the Speaker, the Members of County Assembly et cetera, so that they can agree which direction industrialization will take because this will cost money and a lot of investment will be incurred. So, some kind of leadership will be needed to take the county forward. The Bill also encourages the county to embark on value addition process. The national Government must facilitate and encourage the counties to start value adding on whatever produce they have. We must mobilize and encourage members of the public to move along in this process. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in the Bill, there is the issue of industrialization using public funds. In the scheme of things in the Bill, the implementer is the county government headed by the governor. I am proposing that whether the money comes from the county government or the national Government, the county governments should form county corporations which will, on behalf of the wananchi, be able to handle these things. I am aware there is discomfort towards public bodies doing this kind of thing. However, we only look at the negative side. We forget famous corporations like Safaricom, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Kenya-Reinsurance. All corporations started off as state corporations. I am proposing we form county corporations for the purpose of promoting value adding to our produce. Private investors are being encouraged in the Bill. The national Government must encourage private investors to come on board. There is also the issue of public-private partnership. Investors may wish to come to the county whether privately or in partnership with the Government or the people. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Bill also proposes an Industrial Development Fund. At the moment, we enjoy reasonably good rapport with various industrialized nations and capitals around the world. If all we are looking for in industrializing our county is to get money for roads, water and other things, I believe it is not a big job convincing our development partners to help us come out of the raw material to at least some level of value adding, if not finished goods. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in Clause 17, the Bill proposes the type of industries we are talking about. These are industries for processing and adding value to the produce of the county, manufacturing goods from produce of the county, projects which have potential to create employment within a county and, finally, projects that enhance the economy of the county, including service industries. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}