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{
    "id": 1503293,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503293/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 533,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Joseph Makilap (",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Kenyans to raise revenue, foreign companies want everything from their country to be tax-free. In the long run, money that should have been in circulation in this country goes out. This matter is serious and it is the reason why when we collect revenue, the money does not trickle down to the people. For example, you award a certain foreigner a contract to construct something, he goes ahead to import cement, nails, iron sheets and even skilled workers into the country. What will happen again? Scrupulous businessmen in our country will import many goods into the country, in the name of that foreign contractor, while dumping our locally manufactured ones. That is the misery that this country has undergone for many years. So, this Bill will sort out that particular mess in such a way that if I have a company and I am paid money by the Government of Kenya, that money will be banked in Kenyan commercial banks and trickle down to the grassroots. This is because I will pay workers in that company, including the watchman in the village thus enhancing money circulation in Kenya. Therefore, this is the game changer that we require. Secondly, foreign companies who secure contracts exceeding Ksh1 billion must cede ground for local content. What can be found in Kenya should be bought here. Why should they import cement yet we have factories that produce the same here in Kenya? The same applies to nails where there is no need to import them since they are locally manufactured here. Let them buy what is in Kenya first until it is exhausted then they can import. Additionally, those imported goods must be taxed. We need to create industrialists. Manu Chandaria is an industrialist, born and raised in Kenya. He has turned around the manufacturing industry. We need more industrialists from Baringo North, Homabay and Molo constituencies. We need Kenyan people to build Kenya. That is the most important aspect that this Bill is putting across. We need to partner with Kenyans. In some of these countries, like in the United Arabs Emirates (UAE), if you want to go and do business there, you have to partner with a local person to own about 51 per cent shares yet he does not do anything. He does not even produce the resources. You work like a donkey but you will share the dividends. This is a very serious matter. As a country, through these amendments that have been brought through our Hon. Chairman here and the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, we will spur economic growth of our country. This is a transformative Bill. Hon. Temporary Speaker, kindly add me one minute. Skills transfer is important because we learn from one another. I came to this 13th Parliament and joined the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. This young man, my Chairman, has transferred a lot of knowledge to me in the committee and beyond. Today, I am very knowledgeable on matters finance. I am an expert in mathematics while he is an expert in accounts. Today I have a lot of knowledge in accounts thorough my brother here who is a Certified Public Accountant in Kenya (CPA-K). We have a lot of knowledge and we need to transfer the same skills. Our people must work in foreign countries."
}