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{
    "id": 1217602,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1217602/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 142,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ugunja, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Opiyo Wandayi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Bill, relook at the issue of the cost of energy in this country. Unless we address the cost of energy problem, we shall never make any progress in developing our manufacturing sector. As we speak, it is almost common knowledge that the energy sector has been captured by lethal cartels. Lethal! These cartels have transited from one regime to another, to another and to another. I would not be surprised that, as we speak, they have already captured this new regime. I would not be surprised. I am not saying I have evidence but I would not be surprised. These cartels are dangerous creatures. We must, as a House, gather the courage to deal with them once and for all, if only to rein in on the spiralling cost of energy. There is no way we are ever going to be competitive as a country vis-à-vis other countries. Remember, there was a massive demonstration by Kenyan traders yesterday. They are right. Those Kenyan traders were right to demonstrate but we must go to the root cause of their demonstration. Their demonstration is not just about the Chinese. It is because of the fact that even if they are to sell the goods that they have brought from China, there is no way they are going to make money if the cost of energy remains the way it is. In a sense, energy determines everything else. The cost of energy determines everything else in the economy. Therefore, even as we condemn the Chinese, let us also look inwards. Let us look inwards and see where we have contributed to this mess. I am happy that Hon. Gikaria, the Chair Emeritus of the Departmental Committee on Energy, is agreeing with me. The cartels in the energy sector must be dealt with ruthlessly. I am aware that there are managers, players and people in the energy semi-autonomous government agencies who are doing what we would call “internal trading.” They are irregularly doing business with their entities. Very soon, I will be tabling damning reports here. These days I am happy that my office has been fully capacitated. It is fully enabled to undertake very serious exercises, including forensic audits. Very soon, I will be tabling damning reports here on how people in charge of these energy agencies are doing business irregularly with those very agencies. They are basically part of the cartels I am talking about. Therefore, we must understand that those Chinese companies, like the one we are talking about on Thika Road, are just the faces. You know the real owners are Kenyans and some of them are even here in this House. Yes. Hon. Speaker, with those very many remarks, I support."
}