Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1219356,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1219356/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 222,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Gatundu South, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. GG Kagombe",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We are a country that produces the most tea in the world. We are the third ranked producers of tea but the first ranked exporters of tea in the world. However, our tea goes to the market without value addition. We sell tea in bags of 70 kilogrammes. If we allow EPZ to come here so that we can add value to our tea, it will mean that it will be leaving our country in Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) that are available in the market. This will ensure that the tea that leaves our country is available in the supermarkets in any other country as exported. Our tea produced Ksh159 billion last year. However, when it went to the world market, it was worth a whooping Ksh670 billion. All this money was lost because we do not add value. If we have an EPZ which adds value to our tea, then all the additional money will be left in our economy. This is how we will help our farmers and create employment for our youth. Hon. Temporary Speaker, one of the things that is so prohibitive in this country is the cost of electricity. Even as we come up with these EPZs, they still find it hard to produce, if our cost of electricity is still prohibitive as it is. We must think of a way of encouraging investors to invest in our clean and green energy that also increases our base electricity, so that we do not have intermittent production like we get using solar and wind. This will help us get more reliable sources of supply which will increase our affinity with investors in this country. If you look at our tax infrastructure in this country, you will find it easier to produce in another country. I welcome this idea of manufacturing. When you visit other economies, it feels good when you find goods produced in this country. When we allow people to come and produce in this country and then export to other countries without the residual benefit, we are losing out. I really support this Motion. As I sit, I wish you and all the women in this country a very happy Women’s Day, especially those from Gatundu South who woke up very early and made sure that they elected one of their own. As they would say in my language, “that one they have given birth to”. It is true we are here to support them and articulate their issues. I wish you and all other women of this country a very happy Women’s Day. Thank you."
}