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{
    "id": 1200145,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1200145/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 91,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Gatundu South, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. GG Kagombe",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to address this House. This is my first substantive address. In fact, it is my maiden speech. Therefore, I take this opportunity to thank the people of Gatundu South for having found it fit to elect me to represent them in this House. I also take this opportunity to congratulate you, Hon. Gladys Boss and Hon. Moses Wetangula, for having been elected as Deputy Speaker and Speaker respectively. The same also goes to the President and Deputy President, mutatis mutandis . Hon. Deputy Speaker, I come to this House with a background of a lot of unemployment. Hence, as we discuss the business of the day and the Committee on Appointments, it is no loss for me, because this Committee has to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that we have people who will drive the Government’s agenda. Without the Cabinet, then it will be very hard to push the business of the Government ahead. Therefore, they have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. Hon. Deputy Speaker, in as much as we finished discussing the President’s Speech, it was very pregnant with a lot of information and issues that we need to address as a country. As we talk about employment, it cannot be achieved without looking at manufacturing and industrialisation in this country. However, our industrialisation is hampered by taxation, our existing tax regime and tax infrastructure. Looking at our tax regime, we now have a Value Added Tax (VAT) that is very punitive to the business people. I am looking at a proposal that was brought to this House suggesting we should have a VAT regime that stops a business person from filing returns if they have filed nil return for one month. We must look at changes that must be instituted to enable our people to have a proper working tax regime so they can invest in this country. We have this tendency of taxing our people on trade. As a manufacturer, we are paying electricity to a tune of Kshs21 to produce one kilogramme of tea. This is because we have tax on fuel and electricity that hampers our trade and production. Therefore, we cannot issue or give employment to our young people if we continue like this. I ask the Committee that is going to determine who will be the CSs in charge of industrialisation, agriculture and finance to look at our tax system so it can enable businesses to thrive in this country. Hon. Deputy Speaker, the people of Gatundu South are a worried lot because they are one hospital bill away from abject poverty. I look at a situation where we must fix our health sector so we can achieve universal healthcare. For us to achieve this, we must address two issues. First, we must address NHIF, which has been paying 80 per cent of its pay-out to less than 25 per cent of the hospitals. These are hospitals in urban centres which are accessed by very few people, yet our people in the villages are left without access to NHIF and its services. I want to ask the committee that will be formed here and this House at large to look into laws 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."
}