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{
    "id": 1441361,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1441361/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 107,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker for that guidance and protection. I was saying that many of the amendments that have been proposed by the Finance Committee, in a big way, cure the numerous concerns that Kenyans had over this Finance Bill. That is why, therefore, I want to plead with this honourable House to do what is right. I know there are Members who are tempted to do what is popular. It is very popular to join street demonstrations to be seen as a hero. It is popular to rescue people from police stations when they are arrested for whatever reasons on the streets. However, as a leader – and we are here as leaders – you must do what is right. When this administration came to power about two years ago, our fiscal deficit as a percentage to the GDP was at 6.7 per cent. We were projected to borrow Ksh1.1 trillion in the first year of this administration. Today, with a Budget that this House adopted two or three weeks ago, that has gone down from 6.7 per cent to 3.4 per cent on account of sound economic policies. It is on account of doing what is right rather than what is popular. I know many of these Members have been intimidated around the country. They have been told: “ Mtatupata 2027” or “You will meet us in 2027.” I want to give them the highest assurance. What the people of Kenya will judge us on is whether or not we have delivered on the promises and the pledges we made to them. It shall not be possible to deliver services, build roads and schools without generating revenue for the country. We cannot be a country that lives on debt. I will beg for additional time because of the interjections. Two years ago, we were not just surviving on borrowed money, but we were on the verge of defaulting our international and domestic debt obligations. From the end of last year, it became clear - not just to us within the country, but to the world at large - that Kenya was not about to default on its debt obligations. That is why today – unlike two years ago when the price of unga was at a high of Ksh260 – the price of unga is at a low of Ksh100 courtesy of good economic policies and not what is populist…"
}