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{
    "id": 1201461,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1201461/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 541,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Okiya Omtatah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "As regards to the contents of the speech, I was a bit frustrated because the words ‘research’ and ‘development’ were not mentioned. Without that mentioning them, we are headed nowhere. I give the President the benefit of the doubt, that he was painting with a big brush and maybe he could not put in every word. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in the coming budget, I expect to see better policy framework. In all previous Governments, only one per cent was allocated to research and development. I have the last audited figures of 2021 which was the highest, so far. Research and development wwere allocated 6.9 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It was the highest in East Africa, but I do not like comparing Kenya to East Africa countries. I like comparing Kenya to countries that have developed and are functioning well. If you look at the European Union (EU), the average is about three per cent. In North America, it is about two per cent. It will be my prayer that the Kenya Kwanza Government realizes the one per cent for research and development which has been in the policy documents for a long time. The Kenya Kwanza agenda needs new ideas. How will we find new ideas if we are not using our universities to research? How will we find new ideas if we are not giving incentives to private researchers to come up with new ideas and products? We are discussing GMOs. I do not know if it was a discussion or just a suggestion. That is somebody’s research and development. If it is somebody’s research and development, there are dangers that they can weaponize these things. What are our researchers doing if you have realised we must tamper with nature to survive? What are we doing to our scientists? How are we resourcing our scientists and technicians to enable them to give us products for the future? I am talking about products which are grown by us and have no danger to us. The other thing is about the war on corruption or theft by public servants. I do not like the word corruption because it mischaracterizes theft to look like something sexy and good. Theft has two components; the political side and the law enforcement side. Let us not fool ourselves that politicians have no role in fighting corruption. If the President stood up today and said that anybody facing allegations of corruption in official documents will not serve in his Government, that will be a masterstroke against corruption. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let us not say corruption has to be left to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the judges. No. Politicians must create a culture of rejecting corruption as a means of making wealth. Stealing from the public must be an anathema to the institutions that govern this country. I did not hear the President state that he will not tolerate corruption. Maybe as you say, his speech was the shortest and, therefore, he left out a lot of things, but he will implement them. I also believe that he has room to do that because I am waiting to see his budget. I want to see an end to budgeted corruption; budgets which are padded intentionally to steal from us. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we had the experience of the Euro Bond which has not been answered to date. That is what we mean when we talk about budgeted"
}