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{
    "id": 1102558,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1102558/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 127,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) James Nyikal",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 434,
        "legal_name": "James Nyikal",
        "slug": "james-nyikal"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity. Let me thank Hon. Mule for bringing this Petition, and Hon. Arati for asking for a Motion of Adjournment. That signifies the importance of this matter. I also thank you, Hon. Speaker, for directing on three things – that the Petition goes to the Departmental Committee of Finance and Planning, they look at the reasons for the rise other than taxation and come up with a Bill so that we move forward and make a difference. They should also look at the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). I know the Authority has the mandate to regulate the prices. The Authority’s role is only regulating the prices using some formula to arrive at figures and publish them without looking at the impact of those prices on the economy and advising the Government accordingly. Ordinarily, if the Authority finds that the formula and the policy it is using are hurting the system, it would be its duty to also advise the Government – that, at this rate, we will go to this level of pricing and this will be the impact. Do we do it or not? I think we also need to look at the role of EPRA and if we need to amend some laws to give it that mandate, so be it. They are the first people to come into contact with the increase. There are some days of the month when dealers decline to sell their stocks of petroleum products in anticipation of price increases. Sometimes, they even seem to know in advance the new prices that are coming. Another thing that EPRA should do is to regulate the pump prices against the landing costs. However, in between, nothing happens. What has happened to small businesses in the petroleum sector? The importers of petroleum products, who are multi-national corporations and other big companies, actually deny the small businesses any profit margin so as to create monopolies in the petroleum industry to ensure that only the big operators thrive. The big operator monopolies tend to control the system in all sorts of ways. If EPRA could also regulate the retail prices so that we have a large number of retailers, it would also be important. We need to look at EPRA’s mandate. If they do not have a proper mandate, we will give it to them. Lastly, let me also comment on the issue of the presidential veto powers. The buck stops with us. We need 233 Members, which we can raise. I am surprised that Hon. Duale can actually now say the things that he has said. When those many things were going on, he was the Leader of the Majority Party."
}