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{
    "id": 1503281,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503281/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 521,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Marakwet West, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Timothy Kipchumba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We may pass this law, but someone else may circumvent the implementation of this particular piece of legislation. Therefore, we need to assist the President as a House, and not just to sing along, but to ask certain hard questions as we perform the sacrosanct oversight role of this House. Clause 10 of the Bill seeks to empower local manufacturers by ensuring that locally produced products or services are prioritised in the procurement and asset disposal process. This is meant to empower local manufacturers and will create employment. When we prioritize local manufacturers, it will lead to the growth of our local manufacturing industry, and that is how we will create employment in this country. On the issue of empowering local contractors, the proposed law clearly states that any foreign firm shall be eligible for procurement contracts exceeding Ksh1 billion. However, for contracts below Kshs1 billion, only local contractors are eligible. Even foreign contractors must enter into a joint venture with local contractors or firms for not less than 30 per cent. That is meant to empower local contractors. Another issue we have in this country is misrepresentation by local or foreign firms. I thank the Mover of the Bill for clearly stating that a foreigner who registers a company by misrepresenting themselves as a Kenyan shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Ksh5 million. This is where I will propose an amendment. In any case, these foreigners are multibillion entities and, therefore, the fine of Ksh5 million is insufficient. A company is a legal entity. In fact, they should be blacklisted. That is my proposal. The fine is insufficient and they will simply run local companies out of town. Furthermore, Clause 12 proposes that local firms shall be eligible for 30 per cent of what has been bid for. It further states that a procuring entity must set out specific goods, works, and services to be undertaken by a local firm under joint venture procurement. So, despite the not less than 30 per cent allocation, it is clear that specific goods and works will be procured or undertaken by local firms, which will assist our local manufacturers."
}