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{
    "id": 1074060,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1074060/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 21,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "purpose of discouraging Kenyans from using drones to address some of the pressing challenges in development. As a country, we must lower red flags and cut red tapes to encourage innovation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As you may recall, the Red Flag Acts of the UK and the US, required early automobiles to be preceded on public roads by a man on foot waving a red flag and blowing a horn. The automobiles could not exceed a speed of four miles per hour in the country and two miles per hour in the city. Such regulatory framework is unthinkable today, yet the Government wants to introduce analogous restrictions on drone technologies three centuries later. We must make a clear distinction between the use of drones for leisure and recreation and the use of drones for commerce, security and military operations. This is what advanced countries have done, for example, in South Africa, recreational drones weighing less than 25 kilograms do not require licences. Imagine buying your grandson a small drone toy and being required to go to KCAA or the Ministry of Defence for a license. Furthermore, if foreigners can own vehicles in Kenya, why can they not own drones provided they comply with relevant laws? The requirement to obtain a remote pilot licence is impractical and illogical. Right now, in Kenya, an army of young entrepreneurs are providing videography and photography services at weddings and events. Requiring a pilot licence from them will simply drive them into crime and into the ‘hustlers’ nation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Parliament has an obligation to represent the people in a manner that protects their interests, while promoting their abilities and aspirations. The impugn regulations should have been processed by the Government before taking effect. If Parliament approves them, then we are guilty of dereliction of duty. Regulatory action should not be driven by the greed for levies and taxes. Regulators should be enablers of innovation. We have a few examples to learn from, most notably, the financial revolution brought by M-pesa and other mobile money payment platforms that were encouraged by a pragmatic financial sector regulator. I dare say, encouraged by a pragmatic telecommunications sector regulator, and I see the former Chair of The Telecommunication Sector Regulatory Authority sitting here, that it was that innovation and open mindedness that allowed M-Pesa to fly. I, therefore, call upon this House, particularly the Committee on Roads and Transportation, chaired by the able Senator for Kiambu, in conjunction with the Committee on Information and Communication Technology, to engage the relevant Ministries and stakeholders to address some of the obnoxious provisions of these regulations, and report back to the House on the action taken. Let us be the Senate that lowered the red flags and cut the red tape to promote innovation. I thank you Mr. Speaker."
}