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{
    "id": 1406185,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406185/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 111,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ugunja, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Opiyo Wandayi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, let me join my colleagues in supporting this Motion. This is the way forward. Regions the world over are consolidating their markets for competitiveness. Therefore, we can no longer just sit back and say that it is enough for us to stay alone and protect our market. This protectionist ideology is no longer useful. By ratifying the EPA between the EU and Kenya, we are positioning Kenya to be able to access a huge market. As you all know, the EU is a very big market. How difficult would it be to negotiate and engage every member state of the EU? The concept of countries coming together to form blocs and unions is very timely and important. If we properly utilise and take advantage of this partnership agreement, it will help enhance our exports. There are many areas in this country that are yet to be harnessed, especially in the rural areas. I come from the fishing community and our fish resources have not been beneficial to us. They have also not been beneficial to the communities living in the coast region because we have not had a proper marketing channel. Entering into this Agreement is one way of ensuring that we have adequate market not only for fish, but for many other products, both raw and manufactured. We should insist that we only export materials that we have added value to for us to reap the maximum benefit. Our manufacturers are also likely to benefit immensely. It is not easy to penetrate some of these markets. You have seen how we have struggled as a country since we got our Independence to gain a foothold in international markets for most of our products. Therefore, this is a move worth supporting. However, the lethargy we see within the East African Community is not doing us any good. The EAC needs to be more proactive and understand that the world is changing very fast. I still see a lot of suspicions within, between or among the member states of the EAC. If we can work towards eradicating these suspicions, maybe, in the fullness of time, within our lifetime, we could actually see a political federation emerging within the EAC. That will go a long way in strengthening our bloc as a market. In conclusion, Parliament is being called upon to do what should happen at all times. These kinds of agreements need to be interrogated by the relevant committees in the manner in which we have done for this one so that as we move forward, the Parliament of Kenya, which is the people's representative and the voice of the people, is fully seized of these very vital arrangements. With those very many remarks, I wish to support the Motion. I also join my colleague, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah, in welcoming the BATUK delegation. I know we took some time last year to endorse the Defence Agreement between Kenya and Britain. I hope that that Agreement has been operationalised because there were some issues, which I hope we have dealt with."
}