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{
    "id": 1060132,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1060132/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 273,
    "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"
    },
    "content": "reinvigorate the economy. You cannot run an economy if SMEs have collapsed. We keep saying all the time that SMEs are the critical cog in attainment of the Vision 2030 goals yet we literally kill them by refusing to pay them in good time. Another question that seems to arise is the budget absorption rate. Surely, it is inconceivable. It is an act of bad faith - let me use that word - for the Treasury to release funds for development two months to the end of the financial year knowing very well that it is not possible to procure and execute an assignment or a project within two months. It is basically a way of telling those departments that: “We are giving you money with the right hand and we will take it with the left hand.” They know they will not spend that money so, that money will have to be returned to the National Treasury. So, we need to find a working system whereby funds meant for development are released early enough to enable them have the impact they ought to have on the national economy. Finally, there is the issue of taxation. One of the main reasons we have had supplementary budgets is that the revenue has underperformed. As my colleagues have continuously said, very few Kenyans shoulder the burden of taxation. Very few Kenyans raise the money to run this country yet, probably, almost 70 per cent of Kenyans depend on the revenue raised by only 30 per cent or less. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has been very hard on those genuine taxpayers to a point of driving some of them out of business due to punitive measures they take to enforce tax collection. It is important for the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning to look clearly on how to deepen taxation. How do we ensure that every single Kenyan makes a contribution towards the revenue to run this economy? As I conclude, there are enablers in this economy that require to be addressed. One of the key enablers is power, energy or electricity. Kenya remains the country with the highest electricity tariffs, yet if you read many sector reports, they say the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) can produce electricity at a far much lower cost. Instead, we have those independent power generators that the country has to buy from and resell to Kenyans at exorbitant prices. These are some of the issues that we request the two relevant committees to have a very sober and objective discussion to try to rejig this economy for the purposes of supporting the people of Kenya. With those few remarks, I support."
}