Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 120285,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/120285/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 218,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "to the maize meal, we have suppliers who are controlled by about three millers. This amounts to a cartel. I call upon this House to take measures, as I will outline, which will bring prices of essential commodities under control. We have no consumer organizations that can protect the ordinary man in this country. Therefore, even when world prices come down in respect of fuel and other commodities, the prices in this country continue to rise. For example, the price of fuel keeps on rising even when the price of crude oil in the international market keeps going down. Therefore, we need to look into the situation. The Government must take responsibility because the same situation in other countries warrants the Government to take action. Hon. Members will recall that President Nixon introduced price controls in the 1970s when America faced high inflation due to high oil prices made by the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC). Price control was introduced in Great Britain during the reign of Prime Minister, Callaghan, when inflation had hit figures which are much lower than what Kenya is experiencing. Inflation had hit the 6 per cent record in that country at that time, whereas ours stands at about 12 per cent. Price control has been introduced successfully in the Netherlands, India and Italy and it has proved beneficial. California which is in the USA has price control in power bills and you cannot charge any amount of money you want for power. There is also price control in terms of rent in New York. This stabilizes the wages and the expenses of the common man. So, let the advocates of free-market economy not try to argue against this Bill under the guise that it is against this economy. After the Independence of this country in 1965, the then President Kenyatta through the Ministry headed by the late Tom Mboya, came up with African socialism in 1965. The chapter regarding prices in Sessional Paper No.10 of the African Socialism cautioned that ordinary Kenyans must be protected against escalating prices, so that they could envisage savings that would be ploughed back into development. This country will not achieve the expected development because ordinary people do not save towards this end. I call upon this House to consider the situation in this country seriously. The effect of high prices which cannot be afforded by the ordinary people will lead to insecurity, lack of good health, good education and development. So, this country will not develop unless the Government takes serious measures, monitors and ensures that prices of various commodities are checked. If prices are not checked, we will experience rampant insecurity because this country has many unemployed youth. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, President Obama has introduced both wage and price control in various commodities in the USA. He has put a wage freeze and consequently pumped Federal money into General Motors (GM) to guarantee Americans employment. So, I call upon this Government to seriously take into account, the effects of rising commodity prices which, if they remain unchecked, will lead to a disaster. I request that this Bill be considered as a Bill for the common man. This is not a Bill for the rich but for the ordinary Kenyans who earn less than Kshs100 per day. Therefore, it is disastrous to leave prices of commodities unchecked in a country with a poverty level of over 50 per cent of the population. I am pleased to note that the media has played a big role in supporting this Bill. The mainstream media has called upon this Government to ensure that there is price"
}