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{
    "id": 1268612,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1268612/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 257,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "like tissue papers. Sorry to say this, but we must be very careful so that we do not run a country where you want to injunct--- You remember in the other financial year, you heard the former President saying that over Kshs310 billion in Government projects had been stopped by court orders and injunctions. How can Kenyans get value for money if you go and injunct? The principle of Article 209, the President cannot raise taxes alone; it is a constitutional principle. That is why this Bill is very important because we want to create a county licensing law that will allow licensing fees and issuance across the counties. For example, if you go and buy timber in Elgeyo Marakwet County, you pay tax at Iten; you pay as you enter Baringo County; you pay as you enter Nakuru County; you pay as you enter Nairobi City County and you pay as you enter Mombasa. Is that encouraging means of doing business? No. That is the issue that business people have been complaining about. On this, I expected the Members of the Minority side to be part of us because these are serious issues. If I am building, why should I buy stones that are sold in Thika and then I have to pay in Nandi? We should have a license such that, if I have paid in Kiambu County, I do not need to pay in Nairobi City County, all the way to Nandi. This Bill is brilliant. It will engage and allow ease of doing business. I want to laud and ask the business community, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce led by my good friend the new President, Dr. Erick Ruto, to seize the matter. This is how we encourage ease of doing business because the principle is to ensure that while counties have the power to raise their revenue as per Article 209 of the Constitution, they also have power which is based on this county licensing fee. Most people who pay a lot of money are people who are starting what we call start-up businesses. These people are either the middle class or the hustlers. This is what Sen. Omar wants to achieve. We also need customer protection. I have been asking: What is the role of the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK)? What is the role of the Competition Authority of Kenya? I asked this a few years ago with regard to the milk market. You remember there was a dominant milk supplier and seller who had ensured that he killed the milk market in the entire country. Where I come from, in Nandi County, we depend on farming, majorly tea, maize, coffee, sugarcane and milk. We depend on money from these products. The Competition Authority had allowed this to happen; they had slept on the job. I know that this is an issue in Meru and other parts where most of the milk comes from. When you looked at the milk market share, one company was dominating the milk market. The Competition Authority of Kenya must do its job. They must protect consumers because the interest is to protect the consumer; to protect the customer. Whenever there is an increase in fuel prices, Matatu owners and those operating public transport usually transfer that cost to the consumer. So, if you tax on all line value chains, you will get that the people who are selling that product will just transfer the cost and that is the principle and obligation. 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."
}