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{
    "id": 1356880,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1356880/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Wajir East, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Aden Mohammed",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I stand to support the Speech of His Excellency the President. There were very many good things in that Speech: digital transformation, more teachers for our schools, universal healthcare, fertiliser for agriculture, and reprieve for coffee farmers, and all that. However, I come from a region called Northern Kenya. That region has been marginalised for very many years. I am cognisant of the fact that there was Sessional Paper No.10 of 1965, which prioritised development along the railway line. Many of the things that were in the President’s Speech looked like a duplicate of that Sessional Paper. Three-quarters of this nation is arid and semi-arid land. Livestock is the mainstay of three-quarters of the nation. I have not heard any mention of the livestock industry in the President’s Speech. That was omitted yet it should be of importance to this nation. Our President is very strong on climate change. He is a global ambassador and champion on matters of climate change. Our country is synonymous with our President’s very eloquent elucidation of the vagaries of climate change. Unfortunately, one of the big manifestations of climate change in our country right now is the El Niño phenomenon. Again, in the President’s Speech, I have not heard or seen any mention of the El Niño phenomenon that is ravaging our country. I implore the President and his team to take this phenomenon very seriously. Parts of my constituency and major parts of Northern Kenya are now under floods. Unfortunately, over 50 people have lost their lives because of floods. Our nation is paying about Ksh1.871 trillion in debt this year. Debt is the biggest burden this country faces. While I applaud the efforts of His Excellency in reducing our debt burden and paying off at least a quarter of the Eurobond in advance before its maturity date of 30th June next year, I have not seen a corresponding reduction in our appetite for expenditure. For every Ksh100 we collect, we are paying Ksh81 to service our debt. As a country, we are still gobbling up expenditures in things that are not necessary. I would also like to see a reduction in our expenditure so that we can, at least, keep our debts at sustainable levels. Other than those few remarks, the Speech was full of good things for this country. I support the Speech. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}