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"id": 1128366,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) James Nyikal",
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"content": "Let us go back to the value of research. The world consists of only two areas of knowledge. There is science, which is normally known as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and the humanities. All the things that affect human life are based on science. Water, food, furniture, health and agriculture are all based on science. The humanities that we study are supposed to organise that science so that it can improve human life. This has its origin in the Bible. In Genesis 1:26, 27 and 28, God created the world and everything in it. He created man and, in verse 28, gave man dominion over all that was created. You cannot have dominion over anything if you do not understand it. That is the basis for research and universities. You will remember that most universities originated from church organisations. Research found out how physical forces in the universe are structured and how to use those forces to improve our lives. The humanities help us to organise those forces to improve our lives or use those forces to destroy ourselves. That is where it all started. The value of research is to find that knowledge and apply it in our everyday life. A big gap known as the “know-do gap” exists in most developing countries. That is where people know, but the knowledge is not used. It has been there in history. After Vitamin C was discovered, it took 100 years before it was known that it could save sailors from scabies, a disease which killed many of them. Similarly, if you go to our universities and other institutions of higher learning, there are heaps and heaps of research findings, thesis of PhDs and Master’s Degrees, but all that knowledge is not used in everyday life. The problem is what motivates the people who ask research questions. Largely, they have been motivated by passing exams or getting promotions, if one teaches in the universities. That knowledge is not used. That know-do gap is killing this Continent. We must have a way of applying that research. We must have research questions that provide answers to the problems in our countries. It is the problems in our countries that should constitute the research questions on which money is spent to do research. The Science, Technology and Innovation Act state that we should dedicate about 2.5 per of the National Budget to research. That is the difference between developing and developed countries. We do not invest in research and even when we do, we do not use it. What happens in other countries? They have industrial research parks where industries ask questions. They will say that they are looking for a particular product to solve a specific problem. If you research on it and innovate, someone will invest money to develop your innovation. You will find that within and around universities, there are industries and companies that build those parks, so that professors go there and do research. They ask research questions. What medicines and treatments do we need? What do we need in agriculture? What do we need in our communications? Look at the cars that we use. They are not always designed, and if they are, it is done for sale. We can design our own. In those places, once that research is done, the company or industry that funded it immediately takes the results and applies them in the industry, so that products are manufactured, sold and used. That is where we should start. The Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute was established to do research related to industries, which can then be used. However, we did not fund it. As much as we are saying that the Government will fund it, it is also important for industries to fund research. I have not completely looked at the Bill, but we will look at the funding aspect and propose that industries fund research and utilise the information available to produce goods that we can consume and sell. That is the only way we shall develop. It is sad that from 1979, we have not established this in law. Therefore, I cannot hesitate to support this Bill, which does exactly that. I like this Bill because it actually creates a structure. It creates a Board and stipulates how the Board will run itself. It states 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."
}