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{
    "id": 134489,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/134489/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 346,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Development Estimates is Kshs1.269 billion. During the current financial year, the Development allocation of Kshs1.269 billion transferred to State Corporations is as follows: The KTDC, Kshs800 million, for loans to be given to beach hotels in order to upgrade the beach destinations which have been run-down in the last 30 years. This is because the competition around Kenya is Zanzibar and Egypt with brand new hotels, yet Mombasa has old hotels. We have the European Union (EU) Government Project; the Tourist Trust Fund. It ended in June 2008 but unfortunately, there were some projects which were to be done and Kshs160 million has been allocated to complete some of those projects which are pending. We also have Kshs87 million for the Bomas of Kenya for new projects and Kshs22 million for a face lift of the hotel at Utalli College. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I hereby reiterate my commitment and that of my officers in my Ministry that these funds will be put into proper use and assure Kenyans that they will receive value for their money for the services rendered by the Ministry. I met the Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade and I was very happy to present the budget before them. However, this Ministry is the main pillar of our economy, yet it is underfunded from Kshs5.9 billion last year, to Kshs2.9 billion this year. We have plans for Utalli College to have a branch at the coast. We have land there but unfortunately, the Kshs2 billion for building a new campus at the coast was not available. We asked for Kshs500 million so that it can be phased into four years but we did not get that either. For KTDC, we asked for Kshs1 billion and got Kshs800 million. For KTB, we asked for Kshs1.8 billion for marketing but we got only Kshs800 million. That means we have a deficit of Kshs1 billion. For refurbishment of KICC, we asked for Kshs581 million but got nothing. We requested for Kshs260 million for the Bomas of Kenya and got Kshs237 million. To complete all pending projects at the TTF, we requested for Kshs330 million and got only Kshs160 million. For headquarters and other requirements for the Ministry, we asked for Kshs494 million but did not get anything. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if all this amount is added, the deficit for the Ministry is Kshs3 billion. We find it very difficult to work. We are defeated by South Africa. South Africa spends almost US$80 million to market itself. Egypt spends US$100 million to market itself. Tunisia, a tiny country with six-month a year tourism, spends US$48 million to market them. Unfortunately, we are not doing anything. That is why we cannot get our numbers to where we want. Our plans in the next five years are to rise from one million tourists to three million tourists per year, with total earnings from Kshs52 billion to Kshs200 billion. These are the challenges we are facing at the Ministry of Tourism. In conclusion, I wish to assure hon. Members that I will do my best to ensure that the funds allocated to my Ministry will be utilized with a high degree of accountability and transparency. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to assure hon. Members that our efforts to build a tourism industry of international repute have not gone unnoticed elsewhere in the world. In spite of the challenges of finances and all other challenges, we"
}