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{
    "id": 1461364,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1461364/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 157,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Wanjiku Muhia",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "As a Committee, we are already putting together the recommendations. The most critical issue is consensus. As Members may be aware, in the EAC, you can never decide on any policy without consensus. This policy has, time and again, been a double-edged sword because some countries may not be happy about certain aspects of the policy, and they may decide to skip the consensus building sitting. Therefore, you find that you cannot conclude the matter. At the same time, if some countries chose not to go the consensus way, they may lobby amongst like-minded countries and consider one country absent and pass a policy. These are very critical issues to the Community and its growth. As the amendment of the Treaty goes on, we hope that the National Assembly of Kenya, and possibly the Senate, will be forwarding their recommendations to our Committee so that we participate fully in the growth of the EAC. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I encourage the Members of this House to debate it thoroughly as we seek to strengthen the EAC. By way of information, after the Democratic Republic of Congo joined the Community, the population of our regional bloc nearly matched that of the United States of America. Why are we, as a Community, still engaged in international trade? We can easily do 90 per cent intra-EAC trade and possibly 10 per cent international trade. A population of 340 million within is sufficient to thrive in intra- Community trade, particularly if we do away with the non-tariff barriers and sensitise our citizens. I am sure that quite a number of East African citizens are not aware of the massive trade potential available to them. That can only happen if Hon. Members of the respective parliaments within the EAC understand and internalise this prospect and speak to their constituents. That way, the mama mboga in the rural areas can know that they can also trade with our neighbours across the borders. Hon. Temporary Speaker, Hon. Waqo will second."
}