Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 121674,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/121674/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 348,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "market. When you are looking at the market, are you looking at the Kenyan market, the East African market or the African market or Western Kenya. Therefore, we need to be very clear on what threshold we are talking about. I think that our threshold, and our limit, exists in Kenya; full stop. However, there are a number of issues that we need to look at in that aspect. The issue of delegation to one member has also raised a concern; I think that is a small issue that needs to be sorted out. I do not see any reason why delegation should be to one particular member. That member would be under pressure. As you know, dominant players in the market have ways and means to frustrate and, perhaps, cajole others to their way of thinking. This Bill must be looked at together with the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, the Counterfeit Bill and the Consumer Protection Bill. One thing that we have not done is to improve the Companies Act and Registrar of Companies. There will be many times when companies will hide under pseudo-names when, in fact, they are the same. So, they might even be set up as alternative groupings in an attempt to overcome competition, and you will not know that they are the same. I want to quote one such company. Nakumatt and Tuskys supermarkets are just one company. However, to the public, they are two public entities. They even go ahead and compete against each other. However, that is not true competition. So, these are the issues that we want to deal with. That is where the threshold will come in. That is where we need to concentrate on. The other issue we want to bring forth is implementation, not only by the various authorities but also by the KEBS. We want to make sure that the Competition Bill is not taken advantage of, and we end up with goods of low quality under the guise of competition. That is where the KEBS will have to come in and make sure that certain standards are maintained. Of course, that is where the other Bills will have to play a role. The things we are looking at should not discourage vertical integration of an industry. Vertical integration is by way of competition to reduce the cost of particular goods by vertically integrating and going backwards. I want to give you an example. For argument’s sake, if a company that does baking is the same company that supplies flour and does clearing and forwarding--- If we were to allow competition in that case, we would not give the job to one company, as is the case currently, and reduce the costs."
}