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{
    "id": 1254422,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1254422/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 175,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ugenya, MDG",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. David Ochieng’",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2955,
        "legal_name": "David Ouma Ochieng'",
        "slug": "david-ouma-ochieng"
    },
    "content": " I am the first to suffer the consequences of three minutes. Hon Speaker, I stand here to support the Finance Bill. The role of the Government is to ensure that the country is run in a manner that responds to the needs of the people. The needs of our people are diverse, many and can never be met within a year, two years or even in a lifetime. It is always important for any Government to ensure that it satisfies, at least, the bare minimum of the needs of its citizens. After we passed the budget, it is upon us to ensure that the country has resources to implement our agenda. This Bill has gone through the most thorough public participation than any Bill has ever gone through. It is like we are changing the Constitution yet we are not. We are just debating a Bill that is going to help create jobs. This Bill has proposals to impose taxes that will ensure that we do not import so much fish, furniture, cement and paints. The Bill promotes job creation, which is what we need as a country. By promoting local industries, we hope that more jobs will be created. I am happy with the recommendation by the Committee on Import Tax on sugar. I was worried that this tax was going to make our industries uncompetitive in the East African Community (EAC). I thank the Committee for accepting to remove the proposed Import Tax on sugar. Our sugar products will go into the EAC region at a lower rate. The Housing Levy is the elephant in the room. It is stupid. In fact, I can describe it as beating a man for what you yourself proposed. The other side proposed this Housing Levy. So, the issue with them is not that they do not like the provision of housing. The issue they have is that someone else is implementing it. If they were the ones implementing it, today they would be asking us to support it. I request all of us to give this Housing Levy a chance. After we approve it, this Parliament should ensure that anybody who misappropriates money for housing is jailed forthwith. We will ensure that the Government is accountable for the money that Kenyans are going to contribute for housing. I want to conclude by saying that patriotism means supporting your country all the time and the President when he deserves it. This President took office just eight months ago. He 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."
}