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{
    "id": 1424990,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1424990/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 376,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mumma",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "resource the Meteorological Department, give them the support required in terms of training and facilities for them to carry out what they need to. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have read through this Bill. It is largely about turning that directorate into an authority. I bring to the attention of this House that in 2015, the Jubilee Government of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and current President, then Deputy President William Samoei Ruto established a task force under the leadership of Hon. Abdi Kadir. The reason for that task force was to advise Government on how to rationalize on the number of parastatals in this country. That was found to be necessary because with the 2010 Constitution, we came up with 47 counties and key functions were devolved to the counties. What we needed was a lean set of only key parastatals that would deliver on key mandates. One of the other issues this task force was addressing was the fact that majority of the task forces that Kenya has depend on the Exchequer. They do not make money even though the assumption is that when you come up with a parastatal, it will operate more efficiently and will save this country money. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, most of our parastatals cost the taxpayers more than they are assisting them. Even as I support those who work in meteorology, I urge the country to invest more so that we can facilitate them to serve us better. I am reluctant to support the idea of a law to establish a parastatal. That is what this law is doing. From Clause 3, this law has the objective apparently of setting up this Authority but also implementing an international treaty that is relevant to Kenya. However, when you read the clauses, it is preoccupied with setting up this Authority. It has said little about the ratification and the obligations that Kenya has around the international treaty that it purports to be domesticating. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if those who work in meteorology are listening to me, it is that we urge the executive to give better budgets to the department of meteorology and to invest more in research. Looking at the current budget, there is very little money that has been put in sectoral research to assist universities, for instance, to work in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Water and even Ministry of Health to provide the necessary knowledge that would make us deliver better on the objectives of the government. I urge the Majority Leader that even as you are looking at this, I do not think you are helping the President. The Kenya Kwanza Government has been increasing taxes all along. One of the reasons for doing that is because purportedly we do not have enough funds to deliver on the services. You will not be able to deliver on the services when you are easily allowing the Majority sides in Parliament to manufacture parastatals. They will only deplete the funds that we have. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I wish to indicate that I would want the Executive to invest more in the meteorological department. Give them better linkages and better equipment. Link them to digital open-source resources for more collaboration internationally and enable them to work without creating another parastatal that will deplete the meager funds that we have. Therefore, I support the idea of helping this department, but not the idea of manufacturing another parastatal."
}