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{
    "id": 1073559,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1073559/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 118,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nairobi CWR, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Esther Passaris",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12475,
        "legal_name": "Esther Passaris",
        "slug": "esther-passaris"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Taking off from where the Leader of the Majority Party has ended, we have to remember that KQ is our pride. We know that it has a lot of challenges. Over the years, we have bailed it out not once, but many times. We will probably continue to do so. We are still in a pandemic and airlines have been hit very hard. I was actually very proud of our national carrier during the pandemic because they turned their passenger aircraft into cargo aircraft and helped quite a number of our farmers to get their produce across to their clients. That was something that not many national airlines did. We know that operating a national airline might not be easy. We have even seen take- overs. For example, KLM has been bought by other countries because of the cost of running an airline. In our region, because KQ set the pace as a national airline, we have seen other airlines come up, like Rwanda Airline. That has posed competition for KQ. But if we put the right structures in place and we give them systems… You know if you have a child that is not doing well, you do not stop educating or investing in the child. We come together and see how best we can help the child excel. We need to do that with KQ. We need to embrace it and see what we can do as the Government to ensure that this “Pride of Africa” that connects Africa to the world is of essence. It is not just about our country. When we do not support KQ, we are not supporting the bigger continent of Africa. The entire Continent of Africa depends on KQ for connectivity. So, as a country, sometimes, we have to stop politicising everything and call a spade a spade. Kenya Airways has had some struggles. There has been corruption. We have asked various bodies that deal with corruption to make sure that, as the Government invests in KQ and gives it concessions, we should not lose the money through corruption. We should not say that because there has been corruption and because KQ has been bailed out, we should back off from it. That would be the wrong way to go. Without connectivity, no country can develop. Kenya Airways has had its challenges, but as a country, we have to understand that without this airline, we are not going to do well. I also want to talk to the board and management of KQ. At the end of the day, you run an airline and you have competition. So, you have to style up and ensure that you have right prices and right services. I have seen airlines offering tickets at US$1,000 to Europe. Kenya Airways operates to Paris. At the end of the day, if it is not going to try to be competitive, then it is going to lose markets. We will be bailing out an airline at a point when it is not competitive. They have to work very hard to ensure they are competitive and that their services are up to date, and to understand that the Government cannot eradicate competition for it. The Government can give it the cushion that it needs, but the management has to step up and ensure that it guards public resources. There was a time that one had pride when KQ was trading at the Stock Exchange for Ksh124 per share. Look at the price now. It is a shame! Whatever we have done wrong over the 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."
}