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{
    "id": 1563723,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1563723/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 131,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to comment on this issue of privatization of parastatals and state agencies. You can look at this issue on both sides, when people say that Government property belongs to Government and should stay at Government. However, if it is not helping the people then there is no point. Just here across Parliament we have the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). If the KICC is supposed to operate at its best profitable days, we are supposed to be having conferences in and out. However, we have to be honest with ourselves, the culture that we have in these parastatals and state agencies is that, because it is a Government facility we do not need to push sales and do this and that. So, just having a state agency belonging to Government and saying that we are proud because it is Government, it stays with Government, yet it does not really benefit the people, what are we doing? All these issues of privatization have only been brought about because these state agencies are not performing the way they are supposed to. So, the conversation that we should have, is not whether this belongs to the people, or someone gave land to the Government. It is okay for them be compensated, so that we can make sure that the state agencies are there to benefit the people of that community. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it pains me that every time we debate, we want to localize the issue. While politics is local, economics is about profits. So, if a state agency or an institution is not bringing any profits to the people of that community, then we must have the hard conversation; that we need to do something. If that means that we need to privatize it, let us talk about the parameters of how we are going to privatize the agency. While it is okay for us to come here, fight and say “do not do this, do not sell this,” let us have an honest conversation on how those state agencies are going to be profitable and benefiting the people of that community. Thank you."
}