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{
    "id": 1219271,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1219271/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 137,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kimilili, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Didmus Barasa",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Even as we say that CBC is good and that it will directly impart skills in students, it would be a waste of time if we had so many skilled people in the country, but no employment. The only way to guarantee employment is through creation of cottage industries. Cottage industries will only have value if they are within gazetted and approved EPZs. This is something which the Government must take seriously. I am happy that we have a new Government in place. Unlike the previous one, I hope that this new one will take whatever comes out of this House very seriously. I would like to see a situation where whatever this House resolves forms part of the Budget Policy Statement, Government policy designs and implementation, or termination of extinct policies that are of no importance to the citizens of the country. I hope the Cabinet Secretary for Trade, Investment and Industry, Hon. Moses Kuria, will be passionate about implementing this directive. I am sure that every Member of Parliament in this House would support and approve this Motion, and then the Government picks it up from there. If you move across the country, you will find that we do not have an idle population. Every single citizen in this country is involved in some activity. We are just asking the Government to support those activities in terms of putting skills together and taking advantage of the diversity of economic activities across this country to set up different EPZs, so that Kenyans can employ themselves and get market for their products. Kenyans should have access to markets for various products outside the country. Kenya has always had one-way traffic in terms of trade. We always import products from other countries. Even when we produce tea and coffee, we still import the same from countries that do not even grow tea or coffee. It is high time we added value to our coffee, milk, maize, sugarcane and pyrethrum, so that farmers can also take their businesses to the next level through the value additions that come as a result of setting up EPZs. With those very many remarks, I support the Motion. I urge young Members of Parliament who are here for the first time to emulate what Hon. Beatrice Elachi has done and think through and propose Motions and Bills that will make life easy for citizens. That is why Parliament exists. By so doing, we will contribute positively to the advancement of the welfare of Kenyans. I support the Motion."
}