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{
"id": 1066013,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1066013/?format=api",
"text_counter": 233,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kindiki",
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"speaker": {
"id": 1046,
"legal_name": "Kithure Kindiki",
"slug": "kithure-kindiki"
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"content": "nobody is talking about it. Instead, we are talking about the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and more members of parliament. I have heard people defend the 70 per cent of Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) debt burden in this country as sustainable; it is not. I have heard some cavalier mention of the debt burden in Japan, which is 250 per cent, Singapore at 131 per cent and the USA at 106 per cent, as examples why 70 per cent of Kenya’s debt is sustainable. Nothing can be further from the truth than that. Take the example of Japan. Ninety two per cent of the debt of Japan is domestic; it is not foreign. Much of Kenyan debt is foreign. Most of the debt for Japan is owed to the Bank of Japan, which is the equivalent of the Central Bank of Kenya, in form of government bonds. The interest rates are almost zero. The interest rates of our loans, which are mainly commercial foreign loans, are 7 per cent and 9 per cent. Japan is a manufacturing giant and, therefore, that debt is cushioned by a huge export portfolio. One may want to ask: What does Kenya export? Japan’s debt is also cushioned by the fact it is the largest creditor on earth with overseas assets and foreign currency to the tune of US$3 trillion. What does Kenya own abroad? This country is staring at bankruptcy, and very soon, we will be humiliated the way Sri Lanka has been humiliated to cede its port to the Chinese. Similarly, Zambia, our brothers down south, are being humiliated to release their international airport, the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and their equivalent of KPLC to the Chinese because of the greed for loans. That is what this BBI should have been about. I will not support this Bill because, among other things, the gains that are few in this Bill can be realized without even touching a single article of the Constitution. I will give you an example. Implementing just one Article – Article 10 - which we have refused to implement, will speak to the entire eclectic mumbo jumbo of legal amendments that we do not require. Allow me to read Article 10 that speaks of the national values and principles of governance of our country, which binds every organ of State and every arm of Government whenever it is interpreting the Constitution, applying the Constitution or even implementing public policy decisions. What values should guide public institutions? They are patriotism, national unity, devolution of power, rule of law, democracy, public participation, human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusiveness, equality, human rights, non-discrimination and the protection of the marginalized. Good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability and sustainable development is all we need to implement. With respect to the 70 proposed new constituencies, I submit as follows: One, this is an illegal usurpation of the powers of the IEBC, which cannot be countenanced, unless there is an amendment to the Constitution, further to what we have at the moment. Two, the list in Schedule 2 is dividing Kenyans, and is actually a contradiction to the stated ideals of inclusivity in the BBI. Twenty eight counties will get new constituencies, while 19 counties will be left on their own. What message are we passing here? I want to go on record that I have no objection to having more constituencies in any part of this country, but for Heaven’s sake, Nairobi now has 18 Members of"
}