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{
    "id": 113942,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/113942/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 288,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ethuro",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 158,
        "legal_name": "Ekwee David Ethuro",
        "slug": "ekwee-ethuro"
    },
    "content": "The President went ahead to propose that he will be bringing financing approvals for the new infrastructure projects. One of them that has got my attention is the new transport corridor in northern Kenya. This is a song that we have been singing. As early as 1963, that northern corridor arrangement was there. Get the axis centre at Isiolo, then one to Ethiopia and the other to Sudan and possibly via Modogashe as we go to Mandera. Until this country comes to terms with itself; until this country realizes that until you develop each and every corner of this great Republic, that is the day we can talk of a country that is known as Kenya. But we cannot talk of just a segment of a country that has developed only 20 per cent of its land mass and think that the rest of this country will just play along. We are making a very serious and grave mistake. I expect the President - and I will be waiting in the Floor of this House--- The second transport corridor which was renewed in 2006 can come to this House. We had an occasion to give the Minister for Roads a blank cheque just the other day before we went home. He was to do a few kilometers here in Nairobi. We need that kind of urgency that will save the rest of Kenya! When I speak about the road to Sudan, I am not speaking for Turkana. I am speaking for Kenya. But we have some Kenyans who think that because it is going through Turkana, then it should not be funded. Just because it is going through northern Kenya, it is like it has no value. They become oblivious of the peace efforts that this country worked so hard to ensure that Southern Sudan and the rest of Sudan can be a peaceful nation to the extent that they are now organizing the first ever democratic elections.This is something we should be proud of. This is an opportunity we should take advantage of, for the sake of our economy. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the President, while talking about the East African Community, said we should place Kenya in such a strategic and vantage position to take advantage of our economic strength. What are we doing in Southern Sudan? We still think it is Turkana. What are we thinking about clearing the Mombasa Airport so that we can get these goods to Eastern Congo and Uganda with much ease? We think we are wasting our efforts. We need to get these things right. The President did not talk about the Economic Stimulus Package which I think is one thing we should be building on. We should be talking about the CDF and its impact. We want to hear these things from the President himself supporting the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, if you look at the package that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance brought to this House, when you are dealing with a financial crisis you can either lower the taxes in order to increase the disposable income available to people or inject the cash into the economy in order to increase expenditure especially on public infrastructure. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance opted for the later. The attitude of the beauracracts is that some of them think that God created a Kenyan who can handle money and put it in the Treasury and the Civil Service. The CDF framework that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance was using as a model is the best way to develop our country and address issues of inequality. It is the best way to ensure that poverty alleviation is tackled once and for all. We are talking about a framework where the beneficiaries of this project, the communities, can identify the projects, participate in their formulation and in the implementation of those projects. Government officers who are technical officers and professionals should be there to provide technical advice. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we expect as we come to the end of the financial year that this economic stimulus package should be enhanced and be promoted because it has started late. This is the time we will make a difference. There is no good government that you will get in this country, if the Civil Service has an attitude of thinking that public service is corruption and if the Civil Service has an attitude that public service is not making things move. If public servants thinks that their job is to ensure things are not properly done, we will not be able to develop this country. I would have said more but let it suffice because even if we talk much and they are not implemented, it is an exercise in futility. I hope we will make a difference. With those remarks, I support."
}