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{
    "id": 1267705,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1267705/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 187,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "We have had cases of some organizations like Safaricom who are storing their data in other countries and thereby denying us revenue. We hardly get anything from Meta which owns Facebook. We are the leading country in usage of internet. Therefore, we must hold these companies including Meta to account. They should pay taxes to enable us fix our economy. We cannot allow them to run away. Madam Temporary Speaker, you have heard of Elon Musk. Is he the richest person on earth? You know there is a difference between being rich and wealthy. If you are wealthy, then your children, wife and you are happy and everything is okay. I am told that in Nairobi, if you want to know whether your wife is unhappy, then you will hear her sing some songs and utensils being thrown. You will then know that there will be no peace in that house. You should be wealthy when you have God; and your children and your spouse are happy. That is now being wealthy. However, I am told that the richest man on earth, Elon Musk, who happens to come from Africa, bought Twitter. You remember, there was a craze where we were told to get the Twitter verification, the blue badge. We were paying. Personally, I paid for the authentication in dollars. I wish, for the dollars that I paid for my Twitter verification blue badge, some taxes would have gone to our Government to build roads and give ICT and digital economy opportunities to many young people. Madam Temporary Speaker, you heard our beloved President, His Excellency, Dr. William Ruto say that he will create digital jobs for young people across 290 constituencies and ICT hubs. We know Konza City has been run like an organisation of witchcraft and sorcery before. They have not been open. We are calling them out. They are getting billions of shillings but when legislation comes in place that wants to regulate their activities, they go haywire. In the Finance Act that was passed unanimously by this Parliament, I saw one of the aspects is to tax content creators. It is okay because it will assist in regulating the industry and also provide services. I know that this matter came up before the court and I am happy you are holding brief and you are making strong submissions. Some of these arms of Government have what we call “State capture”. We want the orders to be revoked. I have seen there is a bench that has been constituted. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Finance Act is trying to be creative in getting taxes. We want a creative economy to thrive and also we want taxes to be creative. Therefore, we need to move to the digital economy. One of the aspects is ensuring that Konza Technopolis does not exist in isolation. Why is it an offense for Konza Technopolis to be held accountable? Konza Technopolis does not exist outside Kenya. It is part of Kenya. It must be regulated. I am happy that Sen. Orwoba has taken the bull by its horns. This is a woman made of steel. I do not want to say what we normally say in the corridors. Madam Temporary Speaker, this is the first time we want to regulate properly the legal framework. I heard my brother talk about a functional authority, a development plan for the technopolis, initiate the formulation of policies and strategies, facilitate, monitor and evaluate development. Therefore, I agree that we must ensure that the powers of the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard Services,Senate."
}