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{
    "id": 1254324,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1254324/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 77,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) John K. Mutunga",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "issues and matters are very important to this country. Yesterday, we passed clause by clause of the Committee of Supply, and we all did not have a problem. We were happy at the end of the day. The Bill pronounces some measures to increase revenue by Ksh211 billion so that we attain a target in this year’s Budget of Ksh2.5711 trillion. For what purpose are we raising this money? We want to raise money to increase or boost manufacturing and job creation in this country. If we create more jobs, we will employ more Kenyans and get them out of destitution. It is not supposed to increase access to food or food security; in other words, it is supposed to increase the possibility of universal health care and complete stalled projects. I am sure in every backyard, there is a stalled project. Those are the projects we would like to complete with this money. Finally, with respect to affordable housing, I want to highlight a few issues that my colleagues have brought out. One that some members have cited is sensitivity to Kenyans. Is the creation of jobs insensitive to Kenyans? Is employing the six million or so youths in this country, who have been jobless for four or five years, being insensitive to Kenyans? Is spreading the little we have to all the others being insensitive to Kenyans? Many of us do not think so. Many have also cited that there are other means, and they are not coming clean on what they are. Which means are we referring to? More debt? More burdening? Selling out this country to foreigners or auctioning our institutions and investments is not the way to go. Let me pick on the contentious issue in this House: the 1.5 per cent Housing Levy. I am looking at Kenyans who are unemployed, and I am looking at employed people saying that giving 1.5 per cent is punitive. Can we not surrender 1.5 per cent to get our daughters and sons employed? Hon. Speaker, I would like to bring an amendment to say a minimum of 1.5 per cent and those who can give more to do so. We need Kenyans to be employed. Once we employ those Kenyans, are we not spreading the power across the domain? Are we not supporting those who are at the bottom of the pyramid? If somebody is in their household, is educated, and does not have a job… Many others depend on somebody who does not have a job today. Are we saying that it is unreasonable to employ such a person? The Housing Scheme can employ three people per every three million houses, directly and indirectly, eight people. If we create employment, do we not see the sense in having the youths employed? That is the lowest we can go. I suggest a minimum of 1.5 per cent, and those who can give more to go ahead. Hon. Speaker, there was an issue with the aircraft and parts. The duty on aircraft and parts addresses the demand for air travel. I am sure some of us here suffer because we do not have air travel. I come from Meru, and we have an airport at Isiolo which we can use very effectively, but there is no commuter plane. We would like a commuter plane like the one that goes to Kisumu, Mombasa and Garissa. We would like that. Investment in this field is impossible because of the cost. Is that being unreasonable? Do we not have important things to do over time? Is our time not useful as yours is? Let us look at those things positively and try to see how we can build this economy in a better way. There is the issue of reducing costs when it comes to the importation of materials. The Bill has about 21 ways it lifts the burden off the Kenyans. On the increase of the fuel levy from 8 per cent to 16 per cent, let us look at other East African countries which we compare with. I am sure some people say we should not compare ourselves with anybody. But are we living in a universe in which we are alone, or are we living in a universal economy? In a universal economy, we respond as the others. If the others have 16 per cent, why not us? Tell me, why not us? I fully support this Bill."
}