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{
    "id": 1076723,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1076723/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 468,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mwea, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Josphat Kabinga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13441,
        "legal_name": "Josphat Kabinga Wachira",
        "slug": "josphat-kabinga-wachira-2"
    },
    "content": "looked after. It is for this reason, once again, that I urge the Budget and Appropriations Committee to look at some of these areas that will directly generate revenue for our country. Another area is the National Youth Service (NYS) which is now operating under a new Act. The old NYS that we knew is probably changing to an institution that has the potential to generate revenue to not only sustain itself, but also generate revenue for this country. Anyone who visits the NYS would be impressed by the construction equipment that is sitting idle in that institution awaiting funding for their newly created enterprise that would help to turn them into a business institution. Those of us who are following what is happening in China are aware that the companies that are constructing roads and buildings in this country are directly owned by the Chinese Government. We have no reason not to utilise the resources that are possessed by the NYS to help us in the building of infrastructure. They have come up with an enterprise. They have been looking for funding for the last five years. All they require is about Kshs2 billion to kick off that particular enterprise. We should then hold them accountable to ensure that they no longer rely on Government funding as they generate funds for themselves. This is important so that as we prepare our budget even as we deal with the challenges that this country is going through, just like any country, we continue to be innovative and support special priority areas; areas that generate revenue, to ensure that we support our budgets and stop relying on foreign support. Another area that I want to speak on is one that is covered very well in the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, namely, pending bills and stalled projects. Pending bills are a thorn in the flesh of many Kenyans who genuinely did jobs for this country. Those people are today leading a very poor life yet they supplied or provided services to the Government. Since some of these pending bills have been subjected to vetting, it is high time the National Treasury and the Committee came up with a lasting solution to this problem. In the Report, there is a recommendation by the Committee that the National Treasury should come up with a long-term bond to address the issue of pending bills once and for all, so that we do not continue having this item in our budget. The NYS has its own history. The Government should not punish people who genuinely supplied goods and services. The NYS owes suppliers and service providers about Kshs15 billion. When we went through that list, we realised that with a sum of about Kshs2 billion, we can pay the small-scale"
}