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{
    "id": 1192600,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1192600/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 334,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitui Rural, WDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. David Mwalika",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Getting multiple licences is very difficult in most cases. You go to the national Government which requires you to have two licences and five licences from the county government. All of them need to be acquired. They require money and corruption sets in. If we enhance these SMEs, this country will grow. The Government should monitor and evaluate any policy we adopt to see how effective it is in terms of enhancing the growth of the sector. The SMEs are facing challenges in acquiring funds. I remember in the Finance Bill, 2018, we proposed to start a Biashara Bank that would incorporate all funds like the Uwezo Fund, the Women Enterprise Fund and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. All those funds were supposed to be brought together into one basket called the Biashara Bank. Branches were to be opened in each county so that people could access those funds. Currently, the Uwezo Fund is helping but repayment of that money has become a challenge because of poverty and drought. Government officers in charge of that Fund cannot recover that money. The National Treasury should increase the allocation to the Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme and also provide guidance to allow promising SMEs to access funds through registered groups. I know we have formed the Credit Guarantee Scheme, but it also needs to be enhanced so that we can get more funds to grow. I like what Mheshimiwa said. There was a proposal two or three years ago for ministries to buy furniture from local manufacturers so that we can grow that sector. What happened? We are still buying products from China. I believe that furniture made in this country is better than the one made in China. The Government should come up with a policy to buy from local manufacturers. The Government should also provide training and capacity-building in marketing, technology, pricing and customer service, so that these people can produce good products, enhance productivity and look for markets. Hon. Temporary Speaker, lastly, the Government should provide decent spaces and sanitation facilities so that they can operate in a good environment. With those few remarks, I support the Motion. If this policy is implemented, we will have a vibrant informal sector. 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."
}