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{
    "id": 1252931,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1252931/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 339,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Maragwa, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker for giving me a chance to speak to this Bill. I first of all start by congratulating the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning for the good work they did. It was tedious given that they even had to do public participation. Yesterday, we concluded on the Committee of Supply. Today, we are discussing the Finance Bill, which is supposed to look for money to finance and run this budget. I fail to understand how we could pass the budget in the Committee of Supply yesterday yet today, we think we can go against proposals on how to finance it! Our budget of Ksh3.67 trillion must be financed by the people of the Republic of Kenya. Let us not go out there to play populist politics by telling our people that we will vote against the Finance Bill. There is no other way that we can finance our budget other than through taxation. We have to be realistic. We all understand that the cost of living is not good to all of us. We also understand that there is the debt that was left by the last regime. We also understand there is unemployment. Therefore, as a Government, we must look into how we are going to focus on areas to stimulate economic growth and reduce the cost of living among other development measures that are being awaited by our people. I am surprised to see the Azimio Coalition talking against the Finance Bill, yet every time we see Government officers visiting their areas, they stand up with microphones to make many requests. They request for the installation of electricity in their constituencies, health facilities, and many other things. My question today is: How do we finance all the requests that you present to the Government? You take the microphone to ask so that your people can hear that you are asking for development from the Government. That time you are happy when you hear people clapping. You imagine you have your political mileage. However, when we come here to look for money to finance the developments, you are of contrary opinion. My dear colleagues, let us be sincere. Let us be optimistic that for this Government to deliver, we must go for the taxation. We are against more loans because we have not been able to pay. You have heard from the Budget and Appropriation Committee that 60 per cent of our finances go towards servicing the loans. It is only 40 per cent that is used for development and recurrent expenditure. We must struggle to make sure that we look for whatever our people are waiting for. This can only come from taxation and we are not taxing only those who are employed. We are taxing those who are in business too. We are taxing those who have. Let us not incite our people who do not have when we are trying to create some employment for them so that they can also put food on the table. There is no one here who came to this plenary without having taken breakfast. We are also going to take lunch and then enjoy good supper or dinners. The people that we represent do not have anything to put on their tables. They have no clothing and other basic needs to offer to their children. We must realise that reality. I want to speak a little on the Housing Fund. On the housing fund, we have put a lot of politics when it…"
}