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{
    "id": 113085,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/113085/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 390,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kabando wa Kabando",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 31,
        "legal_name": "Kabando wa Kabando",
        "slug": "kabando-kabando"
    },
    "content": " Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to contribute and support this very timely Bill. It is timely because it is focusing on a key sector which is contributing significantly to the reduction of productivity in the nation. It also causes other adversities which if not redressed at this juncture, will have very negative effects. With regard to the Vision 2030 that we talk about, we need to live today for us to be there tomorrow. The generation that is hugely affected in a very adversarial way by the hazards of alcohol and the weakness of the regulatory mechanism is the young generation. We have been talking about this. In 2008, we convened a meeting for Members of Parliament in order to raise awareness through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on matters that should be considered seriously by Parliamentarians in their constituencies and before the House to mainstream the youth potential and re-focus resources at the CDF level, the devolved funds or even the donor funds for the youth to be effective as key players and stakeholders for the nation. On Jamhuri Day, 12th December, 2009, my constituents had occasion to host all the day secondary schools in conjunction with NACADA, Nestle Foods and other sponsors in order to promote non-alcoholism within Mukurwe-ini Constituency. So, our National Independence Day was shared by all the stakeholders, the Provincial Administration and the teachers to focus on the youth in primary and secondary schools who are very vulnerable and can easily get tapped and disadvantaged by the consumption of alcohol. The records, and I want to make reference to the Central Kenya region which the Mover and the seconder have mentioned, are very alarming. In many areas, you will have a ratio of 1:7; primary school to bars. One primary school in a radius of two kilometers is surrounded by seven bars. These are alcohol selling bars which are open from dawn to past midnight. They attract the frustrated youth or those who are easily persuaded to go into alcoholism. Astonishing is the fact that even teachers are not spared. There have been cases of teachers being interdicted in central Kenya, and I know this happens in other parts of the country as well, but I speak from a point of knowledge, because of alcoholism and, therefore, inability to perform. This Bill, therefore, deserves our support because it seeks to reduce insecurity. This is because when people are consuming alcohol all day, it is natural that in the evening they will be seeking an extra coin so as to consume the following morning. The Bill also seeks to produce better leadership. It will regulate advertisements. It is a bit disappointing because even companies in this country that claim to give so much money for corporate social responsibility, watching television and listening to the radio, is a deception. What they give sometimes if analyzed very well on socio-economic parameters, is not what this country gets in terms of corporate social responsibility account whether it is through sports or the construction of schools. Advertisements do not indicate clearly that alcohol consumption is bad for people aged below 18 years. I would even hastily say that even 18 years is very tender. It is even advisable to go forward to 21 years and beyond. It is even more advisable, a 19 year old in a pub is still a very vulnerable youth. This is straight from Form Four."
}