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{
    "id": 146987,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/146987/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 306,
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    "content": "going to employ within their constituency this financial year. They will also be talking about two primary schools among the 15 others that they are going to rehabilitate with Kshs7 million. That is why I am saying that this is the only Budget, out of the 45 annual Budgets that have been read in this august House, that the people of North Horr will associate with because it has some tangible meaning and relevance in their lives. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to congratulate the Minister because he did this under very difficult circumstances. We know of the global economic crisis, the crisis that we had after the election last year, not to mention the long standing problems with IDPs and the devastating drought that is having a negative impact to over 10 million Kenyans. Those 10 million Kenyans are almost losing their lives. Under all these difficult circumstances, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance was able to raise funds and devolve them to all corners of this country, that is, 210 constituencies in this country. This is a revolutionary Budget which is going to have a major impact in the whole country. The major problem that we have faced as a nation in terms of development is lack of equity in resource allocation. When it comes to sharing our resources equitably in this country, for the first time, the Minister for Finance has tried to address this problem where all corners, all people and all communities can say that they have something to be proud of in this annual Budget. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the focus on constituencies is welcome. If we are serious about devolving resources, then the constituency is the best way to go. I applaud the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for doing this. The Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) was only allocated Kshs60 million in 2003, which was the first year, but today Kshs86 million is being allocated. These funds can make a difference in our constituencies. We shall be able to invest in our human resources through the CDF Bursary Scheme, since the allocation has gone high. The funds that will be available will be more and through that we shall be able to invest in our youth in secondary schools, tertiary colleges and universities. Those are the most important assets for any nation. This Budget will enable us to invest in our youth. As hon. Members, we have had so many problems with our roads engineers because they control these funds sometimes without much input from our side. In my own constituency, I have had problems where people are coming from as far as Embu and Meru to do contracts in North Horr and the northern parts of this country where we have very competent contractors who can easily do those jobs but just because as hon. Members we did not have full control over those funds, our people were not able to get those contracts. Today, since these funds will be channelled through the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) and our own people will be in control of these resources, for sure, that will be a problem of the past. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think the Minister did an amazing job in financing infrastructure in our country. If we are to have development in this country, some key sectors of our country must be targeted. The education sector, not to mention the health sector, and investment in particular food security, where he invested about Kshs3 billion in irrigation schemes such as Bura and Hola, among others, is a very welcome idea. I think with this kind of initiative, maybe by 2012, we will be a net food exporter instead of importing food almost all the time when the drought kicks in."
}