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{
    "id": 1219331,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1219331/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 197,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitutu Masaba, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Clive Gisairo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First, let me wish all the women of Kenya and most importantly the women of Kitutu Masaba a Happy International Women’s Day I would like to support this Motion by Hon. Beatrice Elachi on the importance of us putting more emphasis on the EPZs. The world is evolving, our education system is changing and we need to adapt to the changes. With the introduction of the CBC, we are moving more to a technical environment rather than a theoretical one. We need to think of how to create industries for those youth once they are done with their education. As we embrace CBC, I would also urge that most of our youths should start embracing TVET colleges. That is because CBC is more aligned towards TVET rather than the normal university education that we are used to. With this kind of training, we will need to be prepared to absorb those youth into industries. The EPZs was a well-thought-out idea but, somehow, it has lost traction. As we speak today, Kenya is a net importer. That is why we are not able to even strengthen our shilling. As many contributors to this Motion have said, as at yesterday, the shilling was at Ksh138 to the US Dollar. This cannot be good for the economy of this country in the short term, mid-term or in the long run. If we, as a nation, do not think of how we will start exporting more and importing less, the economy is not going to regain. Each region in this country has its own strengths. Hon. Temporary Speaker, why do we not have more of these EPZs for the local market? That is taking advantage of what each region can produce at a lower cost. This creates jobs and also a market for raw materials for that specific region. When I heard the Speaker say that they found trousers labelled ‘Made in Kenya’’, I just hoped they did not purchase them because if you purchase them in the USA, what you have done is participate in capital flight. If you have US$50 when you are in the USA and buy the same thing, you receive a US$50 item at US$150. As a country, we lose US$100. So, let us encourage the people there to fly back and buy locally. The EPZ needs to be strengthened. Our marketing sector; Brand Kenya, needs to up its game. We cannot only be exporting tourism and expect that we are going to save the economy. We have to start producing more. Otherwise, the youth out there will not have jobs and the onus will rest on us. We, as leaders, will have the biggest challenges. Hon. Beatrice Elachi has brought this to the House at the best and most opportune time. We need to support it and urge the Government as it is a bottom-up Government that this is the place to start. If we do not support industries and production, we will have tough times ahead. I support this Motion and wish that Hon. Elachi brings it to the House as a Bill, we make it a law and later in it, include that we need to have more of this in each county, where The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}