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{
    "id": 1060207,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1060207/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 348,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Gatanga, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Joseph Nduati",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13338,
        "legal_name": "Joseph Nduati Ngugi",
        "slug": "joseph-nduati-ngugi-2"
    },
    "content": "structural department and still pay money to the roads section and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). Even when you start building, you will still require a holding permit and a signboard permit. These are things which we need to look at holistically because when an investor comes here, they cannot understand. To improve our ease of doing business, these are some of the things we need to look at. I really support this idea of doing away with companies seal. This is very old technology. I have never understood why we have ever needed a company seal. So, I really support that. I am very happy the new Bill has allowed us to be having online meetings. This is very good, although some of us are technologically challenged. We hope to improve on it. On small courts, I support. However, I think Kshs1 million is still very little money. Maybe we need to move it to about Kshs5 million because Kshs1 million is a very small business. On statutory payments, I was happy. I was even thinking that we could move it to 20th, so that as you pay your VAT, landlords like me and your withholding tax, you pay it on the same day. Sometimes you have to pay your NHIF, NSSF, industrial trading levy and you even forget the dates. So, I would propose that we do all the Government taxes on one day because 9th and 20th are very critical days especially if you have accountants who forget. It is important that we harmonize these dates. I have talked about the youths and I wanted to contribute during the Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2021. To support our local business and to support our youth, I need to plead with National Treasury that the idea of allocating money for projects, then when you are 20 per cent through with the project the money is deducted, is very unfair and it is really killing local businesses. We are going back to the olden days where having an old track or a crane somewhere used to be very lucrative. Contractors will bring those things and claim money. Interest on idle plant machinery used to be very expensive. Although we are saying that when Government delays payments you will get interest on delayed payments, again for the big contractors, this is very risky because we are now seeing new business opportunity in this country. Interest on this payment is about 14 per cent. You can imagine if you are a big investor that has invested about Kshs500 million, then the first year the Government fails to pay you your first Kshs500 million, you earn Kshs70 million in interest and the following year, another Kshs70 million. That is like ordinary residential House. This is something that the National Treasury needs to look at. One of the major problems we have in this country is where the National Treasury does not allow technical ministries to sign technical contracts. The National Treasury are the ones signing those contracts and it is messing this county. I want to plead with Budget and Appropriations Committee, before we fund any project, we must ensure that the technical ministry is involved. I am seeing this a lot because I am a Member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The short time I have been there, I have seen many instances where the technical ministry is not involved in contracts. The other thing is holding assets of our people. When you are doing a contract of about Kshs500 million, to get that performance bond, you need some assets somewhere to secure it. When you are not paid, that asset is stuck there for a long time and you cannot use the asset to borrow. It is really frustrating this country. With those few remarks, I want to say thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to make my contribution."
}