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{
    "id": 1116889,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1116889/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 261,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Igembe Central, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kubai Iringo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1574,
        "legal_name": "Cyprian Kubai Iringo",
        "slug": "cyprian-kubai-iringo"
    },
    "content": "Let me say that on this issue of fuel prices going up, we are blamed by the public as Parliament because we are said to be the ones who opened up this Pandora’s Box. I believe this was being done intentionally by some people outside there, especially in the Executive. When this issue was brought here in Parliament, it was really fought hard and Members really wanted to remove the VAT on petroleum products. But the same people who are here who have already started saying today we remove the VAT are the ones who were going in the corridors, toilets and everywhere, pushing Members to pass the same. Let us not be like chameleons. Today we are saying this and tomorrow we are saying that. Once we agree, we should agree and we should not be saying that it is not us who did it, but it was done because some people were working in cahoots with the Treasury and the Executive to have this Pandora’s Box opened. Now that this issue is here and there will be a Bill, let us all work together as a House and make sure we make these changes to save the Kenyan people. The people are suffering outside there. After listening very well to the Chair, Hon. Wanga, when she was moving this Report, I have come to discover that most of these monies go to waste. Either the money is stolen or used in a corrupt way. There are a lot of inefficiencies in the offices which are supposed to handle these things, especially at Kipevu, which is the oil terminal. If a ship can stay there for three days, and we are talking about Kshs5 million per hour, and this is taxpayers’ money, what are we saying? We are talking of Kshs18 billion which cannot even be accounted for. Treasury can also tell us that. That is why the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Public Investments Committee (PIC) and all the departmental committees charged with investigating these things should move with speed and get to know how those misappropriations have been done. It means that the fuel prices are increased for the purpose of gathering some shortages or to pay some people somewhere who are not known and the common man is left to suffer. I strongly support it and urge that when the Bill comes, we will need to refine it further so that, at least, we can see those prices go down to Kshs100 or below. The oil which is used in Kenya is the same that Tanzania and Uganda uses. It comes through the same route and from the same country. What criteria do they use? What miracles do they have that they can manage those prices and yet, fuel goes further into their countries? The common man does not know about the stream of levies that we have. There are about seven streams of levies. Let us look for ways of freezing those streams to one levy so that we do not hoodwink Kenyans with a lot of levies and this money will go to waste through corruption. I support the Report. We are waiting for the Bill with more amendments."
}