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{
    "id": 1484955,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1484955/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 217,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Bonchari, UPA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Charles Onchoke",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to the debate on this Bill. At the outset, let me say that it appears that a lot of concepts and telecommunications technology is inhibiting the efficient way of handling this debate. The main focus of my colleague, Hon Elisha Odhiambo, is the market dominance and concentration of monopoly. From an economic perspective, this is obviously not a good thing. Concentration, dominance and monopoly hurt the consumer who ends up receiving the blunt end of the bargain. I want to deal with the question of dominance and concentration so that we do not have a few subscribers dominating the market. It is necessary for us to dig further into this matter to establish whether it is a weakness in the law that has enabled dominance to exist at the moment. Looking at the telecommunications market segmentation, you will realise that some players are much bigger than what is provided for under the Competition Act. Therefore, we need to address that problem. Is it difficulties or challenges in acquiring technology that hinder potential subscribers from entering into the market? Is it the law that is weak, which would thus need to be fixed? The other problem is about money-handling. Whereas we celebrate the gains and efficiencies of sending money through the various money-sending platforms, there are risks that are involved. Having a financial system outside the main one would be a major risk. We need to find a way, through legislation, to regulate those platforms in order for them to continue benefiting or enjoying their gains. Any financial system that is not regulated would be a major risk to the economy. Hon. Temporary Speaker, there is the matter of drop calls that occasions a cost to the caller or consumer. This causes an inconvenience to the consumer because of the failure by the subscriber. Therefore, there is need for the customer to be compensated one way or the other, as proposed in the Bill. Indeed, Article 46 of the Constitution provides that every consumer has a right to goods and services of reasonable quality. As pronounced in the Constitution, we should not experience any interruptions by telecommunication service providers in terms of drop calls. Every telecommunication service provider is under constitutional obligation to ensure that their services are not necessarily interrupted, unless the interruption is due to something beyond their control. Where an interruption is wilful or due to their negligence, there should be some amount of compensation to the consumer. Hon. Temporary Speaker, as regards the Universal Fund, there is a compelling reason that the monies herein should be used equitably across the country. The figures that have been proposed by the Mover may not be 100 per cent correct, but there is need to have some semblance of a formula to ensure that those funds are used across the country. With those remarks, I support the Bill."
}