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"id": 1009813,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1009813/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Wilberforce Oundo",
"speaker": {
"id": 13331,
"legal_name": "Wilberforce Ojiambo Oundo",
"slug": "wilberforce-ojiambo-oundo-2"
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"content": " Hon. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity. I stand to support the Agreement. Thank you for giving us time to peruse it in details, so that we can debunk some of the misinformation that had been peddled here or elsewhere out there. This is something that has been with us for many years, since 1962. Therefore, it is something that I would believe is an upgrade or a continuity. I do believe that for all those years, it must have served the two parties well and that is why they have considered to renew the same. Coming from the names, Malindi Loading and Truck Station is basically used for airspace; I mean space science and the rest. Hon. Speaker, this Agreement provides a number of issues, interesting so to speak, the facility being a segment of the sea and part of the land in Ngomeni Area of Kilifi County. Two salient issues arise and sometimes as we say, when the deal is too good, we must think twice. There must be some extra benefits the Italian Government is gaining, probably, more that we can see or we can appreciate. I do believe that as we improve in our technology and understanding of space science, we will be able to see the intrinsic benefits the Italians are getting. It does not really explain, very clearly, why they would foot the day-to-day running operations, why they would give the Government of Kenya USD250,000 every year, why they would give the Government of Kenya 50 per cent of all the profits from commercial services and why they would give Kenya USD50 for financial authorisation fee. That is why, as a Government and country, we must continuously review what is basically happening there so that we can leverage ourselves; otherwise, we become leaders in this aspect. The second issue that has drawn my attention is the mirrored or plethora of various governing structures. There is the Security Council of Ministers, Joint Steering Committee, Joint Management Board, and off course there is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is an Italian; there is the Deputy CEO, who is a Kenyan; and then there is the provision to second as many Kenyans as possible, with technical knowledge for capacity building and the rest. I do find myself wondering, unless there is a justifiable reason which does not come out very clearly from the Report of the Committee, on why we needed such a convoluted and an expanded structure. Probably, there could be reason, but for the benefit of doubt, since most of us do not understand bilateral issues, we will take it that there must be a reason why that has been brought on board. 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."
}