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{
    "id": 147143,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/147143/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 93,
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    "content": "Resource Management Programme which will be enhanced to Kshs2.5 billion in the year 2009/2010. Mr. Speaker, Sir, following the post-election violence, our tourism sector has suffered major losses, with a decline of about 60 per cent in the first quarter. With the sector expected to play a key role in the achievement of our Vision 2030 objectives, strong actions are required to be taken for this sector to withstand the current challenges and return it to its impressive former performance that was witnessed prior to the post- election disturbance. As a step towards this direction, I have allocated Kshs800 million to be channeled through the Kenya Tourist Development Corporation, to be lent to business enterprises in this sector, in order to protect jobs. In addition, we have allocated a further Kshs400 million for tourism marketing, targeting the high-end market. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as I have already alluded, the current global economic recession has adversely affected our export sector, especially the horticultural industry. In order to cushion this sector and enable players to continue employing our people, I will be outlining later in my Speech tax proposals to improve cash flow. We recognise that these measures may not be enough to fully mitigate the challenges facing our tourism and export sectors. In this regard, we are planning to introduce additional measures in the course of this Fiscal Year, to further safeguard and stabilize our exports and tourism against exogenous shocks. But in these challenges, we see opportunities. In this regard, I would encourage sector players to now focus on value addition and diversification of their products to reduce possible risks in the future. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as we strive to overcome the current challenges, we must recognize that building a better Kenya requires a healthy population. To achieve this objective, we plan to provide an efficient health infrastructure covering all parts of our country and raise the quality of healthcare to our people. In this regard, we are initiating a comprehensive programme of health care reform, covering infrastructure development, promotion of preventative healthcare and devolved management of facilities. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in addition to direct funding to the two Ministries of Health to finance on-going programmes, I have allocated a total of an additional Kshs4 billion or Kshs20 million per constituency under the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation for the construction and equipping of a health centre in every constituency. This is the first step in our three-year journey towards achieving a countrywide Health Care Facility Upgrade Programme."
}