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"speaker_name": "Dr. Khalwale",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank you for this chance. I also thank the Minister, who is my neighbour in the old Kakamega District. When Mr. Oparanya, whom I fully support in this particular Motion, was appointed Minister and the name of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sambili, was read out, I was very excited, because this is a complement of two professionals who have no fear of figures. But I am starting to get very worried; when I see them faced with a small figure like the Budget they have given us, and are unable to spread it out and balance it accordingly, and I had so much hope in them, I get disappointed. Kenya is beyond two, three, four, five, 20 or 100 leaders, however powerful they are. The rule of global justice will make sure that if you ignore some people, you will be inviting what happened in this country at the beginning of the year. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I urge the Minister and the Permanent Secretary to plan for our families, communities, our districts, especially the new ones, and for Kenya. Do not be intimidated into planning for leaders. I was personally disappointed when the technocrats led by Dr. Sambili produced figures and statistics, which were to be used in the current Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) allocations, and then two or three Members of Parliament from Nyanza made noise and the Minister buckled at his knees and said that the technocrats were wrong. Had the Minister asked the rest of the House about the figures, obviously others would have made noise while others would have supported him. The Minister should have asked the rest of the House what it is thinking about the figures. You should have given us the figures. A few would have supported them. You would have known a \"Kenyan position\". Are you being driven by MPs from certain parts of this country, Mr. Minister? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg that the Minister plans for our families. If you do not plan for our families, it means that the individuals in those families cannot go to the markets and places of work because of the high cost of transport. The Minister must plan for the cost of fuel in this country. Kenyans are choked! I invite you, Mr. Minister, to talk to hon. Muthama, who happens to have a helicopter. You wake up early in the morning and fly over Nairobi from the West to the East. You will see a \"snake\" of members of the working community of Nairobi walking to their places of work. It is because of the cost of fuel. Mr. Minister, you must plan for the food. The cost of foodstuff in this country is such that the Coalition Government is no longer popular. If we go back to an election today, just because of cost of the food, I can assure you that all these so-called Ministers, Prime Ministers and President of the Coalition Government will lose, hands down! Kenyans are not feeling nice about this. You must lower the prices of foodstuffs. What is the difficulty in planning, kindly look at the cost of farm inputs and plan for them. Mr. Minister, look at the cost of food. We have the food that we produce ourselves. Then we have got the food that we import. I wonder why our current Ministers do not read the current laws. Today, we have a law that talks about monopoly - the Monopolies Act. Yet, bread in this country costs more because the Minister does not want to apply the Monopolies Act. The grain that comes to Mombasa--- One individual in the name of Jaffer has been allowed to be the sole handler of bulk grain for 10 years. Now, when those things expire, instead of you allowing the second, third and fourth bidder to bid, some characters in Government run to Mombasa and help Jaffer, so that the cost of bread to the consumer is still high. Probably, those people who are helping that private importer can get their \"cut\". 2868 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 21, 2008"
}