HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, POST, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"count": 1608389,
"next": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=148511",
"previous": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=148509",
"results": [
{
"id": 1503292,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503292/?format=api",
"text_counter": 532,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Joseph Makilap (",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1503293,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503293/?format=api",
"text_counter": 533,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Joseph Makilap (",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Kenyans to raise revenue, foreign companies want everything from their country to be tax-free. In the long run, money that should have been in circulation in this country goes out. This matter is serious and it is the reason why when we collect revenue, the money does not trickle down to the people. For example, you award a certain foreigner a contract to construct something, he goes ahead to import cement, nails, iron sheets and even skilled workers into the country. What will happen again? Scrupulous businessmen in our country will import many goods into the country, in the name of that foreign contractor, while dumping our locally manufactured ones. That is the misery that this country has undergone for many years. So, this Bill will sort out that particular mess in such a way that if I have a company and I am paid money by the Government of Kenya, that money will be banked in Kenyan commercial banks and trickle down to the grassroots. This is because I will pay workers in that company, including the watchman in the village thus enhancing money circulation in Kenya. Therefore, this is the game changer that we require. Secondly, foreign companies who secure contracts exceeding Ksh1 billion must cede ground for local content. What can be found in Kenya should be bought here. Why should they import cement yet we have factories that produce the same here in Kenya? The same applies to nails where there is no need to import them since they are locally manufactured here. Let them buy what is in Kenya first until it is exhausted then they can import. Additionally, those imported goods must be taxed. We need to create industrialists. Manu Chandaria is an industrialist, born and raised in Kenya. He has turned around the manufacturing industry. We need more industrialists from Baringo North, Homabay and Molo constituencies. We need Kenyan people to build Kenya. That is the most important aspect that this Bill is putting across. We need to partner with Kenyans. In some of these countries, like in the United Arabs Emirates (UAE), if you want to go and do business there, you have to partner with a local person to own about 51 per cent shares yet he does not do anything. He does not even produce the resources. You work like a donkey but you will share the dividends. This is a very serious matter. As a country, through these amendments that have been brought through our Hon. Chairman here and the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, we will spur economic growth of our country. This is a transformative Bill. Hon. Temporary Speaker, kindly add me one minute. Skills transfer is important because we learn from one another. I came to this 13th Parliament and joined the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. This young man, my Chairman, has transferred a lot of knowledge to me in the committee and beyond. Today, I am very knowledgeable on matters finance. I am an expert in mathematics while he is an expert in accounts. Today I have a lot of knowledge in accounts thorough my brother here who is a Certified Public Accountant in Kenya (CPA-K). We have a lot of knowledge and we need to transfer the same skills. Our people must work in foreign countries."
},
{
"id": 1503294,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503294/?format=api",
"text_counter": 534,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 1565,
"legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
"slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
},
"content": " Hon. Makilap, you have ended it at a very good note, you cannot say more. Hon. Sabina Chege."
},
{
"id": 1503295,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503295/?format=api",
"text_counter": 535,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, I congratulate my brother, Hon. Kimani, and the entire team in the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. This Bill should have come yesterday. I know the people who spoke before spoke a lot about it. It looks at the local contractors and gives them preference in contracts of up to Ksh1 billion. Number two, it speaks on how when you are doing foreign joint ventures, a minimum of 30 per cent goes to local contractors. This is commendable. The issue of promoting local manufacturers using local products is very important. Clause 3 of the Bill ensures that foreign procurement contracts that have not been subjected to provisions of international procurement guidelines or laws will adhere to the procurement laws in Kenya. This is important. The people at the National Treasury should"
},
{
"id": 1503296,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503296/?format=api",
"text_counter": 536,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1503297,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503297/?format=api",
"text_counter": 537,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": "listen to this. We contract foreigners a lot of times. If there is a dispute, we can only settle it out of this country. You are sent to London, Malaysia or any other country, but not under this law. It is important that foreign contractors accept that they are getting Kenyan money. If a dispute arises, then it should be handled in Kenyan courts which are qualified. We trust them. Clause 8 of the Bill is about investigations that are allowed to be done, even if the matter is under review Board. This is very important so that we do not gag any investigation that is necessary. Clause 10 of the Bill speaks on tasking an accounting officer to ensure that locally produced products or services are prioritised. It also ensures that technology, knowledge, and skills transfer plans from foreign firms are prioritised in the procurement and asset disposal process. This is very important. We have a very fantastic Thika Super Highway and Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) which were constructed by the Chinese. It is important that this is not only on paper, but also these firms should showcase how they train and transfer technology or knowledge. When we build another expressway, we will have that expertise. We might no longer need foreigners, unless we consult them on very few issues. I trust that this Government will have Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret or Kisumu Expressway. Giving local firms a chance to participate in all contracts that are less than Ksh1 billion is very commendable. It is important for them to be advertised well. I am very sure even with more than Ksh1 billion, we have local firms that can do it. I want to mention something which is in Clause 20 of the Bill. It seeks to insert a new Section 139A to provide for safeguards for contractors whose payments are overdue. We have contractors who have depression. Some of them have died without getting payments. I know the Leader of the Majority Party wants us to move faster, but this is very important. Government and procurement officers should only give contracts when money is available. One of the reasons you find a kilometre of a tarmac road in Kenya is more expensive than in our brothers’ countries, in East African Community (EAC), is because our local contractors go to banks to take loans yet the Government takes so much time to pay them. By the time they are doing it, you have already incurred another expense. If payment is prompt or done on time, we should look at how much a certain project costs, use minimal amount of money, and then pay it on time. On the other hand, we must also have a fine for the briefcase or fake contractors. They are awarded a contract, but they cannot handle it. Sometimes a contractor is given a chance to work, but he does not deliver. There are some fines that have been recommended. Whoever asks for a job should manage it. We should also avoid some contracts. The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning should look at how long Mitihani House took to be completed. It took between 28 and 30 years. A project that is supposed to cost a certain amount of money costs 10 or 20 times more. We know that some contractors liaise with procurement officers to intentionally delay payment. They raise certificates making the Government to pay interest. We need to call out such contractors so that they can deliver on time."
},
{
"id": 1503298,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503298/?format=api",
"text_counter": 538,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Clause 24 is ensuring sustainable promotion of local industries. We have skilled welders who are very good at their job. I want to single out the housing project currently being done and recommend to the Kenya Kwanza Government to use local masonries, welders and painters. This will ensure our skilled labourers get jobs. I want to encourage our young people that technical skills are paying. I was sharing with a contractor doing a housing project in Murang’a and he told me that he is facing a challenge of getting welders. I want to urge the youth of this country, with a lot of respect, that instead of waiting for politicians to incite them about the mountain, they should look for employment opportunities which this Government is offering. There is a housing project at a place called Makenji in Kandara Constituency. They should ask for a job there. I understand the lowest they pay per"
},
{
"id": 1503299,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503299/?format=api",
"text_counter": 539,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1503300,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503300/?format=api",
"text_counter": 540,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": "day is Ksh780 to Ksh800 and for skilled persons Ksh1,500 to Ksh2,000. It is important that our young people focus on what is available instead of listening to politicians who have acquired wealth and their children are going to school. They use the weekend funerals and church services to incite them instead of giving them hope and promising a better tomorrow."
},
{
"id": 1503301,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503301/?format=api",
"text_counter": 541,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Sabina Chege",
"speaker": null,
"content": "As I finish, Clause 27 seeks to amend Section 177 of the Act. I want to applaud the Chairperson for including the penalties. Clause 27 states: “(a) the mandatory fine shall be equal to two times the amount of benefit or loss described in subsection (1)(a)(ii); (b) if the conduct that constituted the offense resulted in both benefit and lose described in subsection 1(a)(ii), the mandatory fine shall be equal to two times the sum of the amount of the benefit and the amount of the loss”. This Bill is timely and I urge all Hon. Members to support it. I know Hon. Kimani went through several challenges and he is a good example to our young people. That, once you practise patience and persistence you can go far. I know after passing the Finance Bill, 2024 he went through a very challenging time, but he did not give up or behave like a coward. He went ahead to come up with very nice Bills which will benefit not only the young people, but Kenyans at large. So, congratulations Chairperson."
}
]
}