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{
    "id": 1056498,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1056498/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 190,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "Economic Zones. I want to ask him to spend more time in Mombasa and not just Kilifi. He needs to do a tour of Mombasa to see the development in the second city, which is our entry point. The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) starts in Mombasa and the volume of cargo from Mombasa is an indication of the growth that has taken place. Development is not just within Nairobi because a lot is happening in Kisumu to connect Kenya to the East African region through the Port of Kisumu. There are several by-passes in Eldoret and Nakuru. Development is taking place across the entire country, but we are only seeing the debt that is rising and not the tangible assets. As politicians, we are happy to say that we have brought a road, but at the same time blame the President for increasing the debt levels. The debt has been used to finance the development that you are seeing and pay salaries for teachers when companies have reported negative results because of COVID-19. We all know that the tourism industry has collapsed and all the revenue from hotels is gone and so, somebody has to fill that gap. I wish Hon. Mbadi was here because I know he is passionate about the debt issue. I want to persuade Members to open their minds. Let us not be blinkers. Let us look wide through the front view mirror and not the rear view mirror. There are things that might have happened in the past, but as we go forward, we have an opportunity. As the world recovers, we need to recover with it. If we can access cheap loans, let us take them so that we complete all the projects that have stalled. The cost of stalled projects is enormous and anything that was started must be completed. We want to encourage the National Treasury to continue reducing the Budget deficit. They can only do so if Kenyans are willing to pay a little more in taxes, but I am sure that no one wants to pay more. It is about finding a balance and I want to ask Members not to be frightened by the issue of debt. When the issue comes to this House, let us look at the merits and demerits and pass it accordingly."
}