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{
    "id": 1442246,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1442246/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 344,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kimilili, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Didmus Barasa",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for allowing me to add my voice to this very important Bill, the Finance Bill, 2024/2025. I am guided by three things when deciding whether to support or oppose the Bill. First, this is very important, and the country must understand this; no country across the world has developed without the support of local manufacturers. We have been lamenting for many years that Kenya is a one-way traffic, where we only import. We have manufacturers who have set up factories in our country and employed less than five people. What they do is import finished products to distribute, yet they get all the support from the Government of Kenya and taxpayers. Secondly, the problem that this country is facing, which is a time bomb, is the lack of employment for the surging young population. The Government alone cannot absorb millions of Kenyans seeking jobs. The private sector plays a pivotal role in ensuring that we have employment opportunities so that Kenyans can have the bargaining and purchasing power to put food on the table. The private sector should be supported. I heard the Leader of the Minority Party say that this country only favours a few individuals trading in cement and steel. I urge the Leader of the Minority Party, Hon. Opiyo Wandayi, who is my very good friend that he has an opportunity to set up steel and cement manufacturing factories in this country. Before the last general elections, they had many meetings with the business community of Dubai and Qatar. Hon. Opiyo Wandayi has every reason to set up a factory and run it the way he wants. You can even say you must wear a black suit to buy from this factory, and nobody will take you to court. The third thing that makes me support this Bill is that when the proposals were first debated across media houses in this country, a number of punitive things came up. These included taxes on motor vehicles, diapers, sanitary towels, and motorcycles. But we have since engaged, and I have had a robust discussion with the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. He has assured me that the contents of his Report The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}