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"speaker_name": "Mrs. Shebesh",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to support this Motion. I want to start by joining my colleague who has heaped praise on the Mover of this Motion. Even last year before I came to this House, I noticed that our colleague always brings relevant issues to this House. I congratulate him for continuing to be relevant in this House. The Budget-making process is one of the key factors that is considered by Kenyans as the reason why we were brought to this House. However, I would like to concur with my colleague who spoke earlier that this function which has been brought to this House in terms of the Budget- making process, has left a lot to be desired. I might not know much about fiscal or monetary issues, but I believe that I know what is needed, for example, to bring the youths of this country to a level where they can be proud of themselves, get jobs and have sustainable livelihoods. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also believe that I know where the women of this country would want to be and where they would want the Government to look into their issues. I, therefore, feel that it is important to bring into focus what women and youths of this country want in terms of the Budget-making process. There must be a logical way in which the Budget is prepared. I agree that for that to happen, we must consult the different sectors of this country, which include the women and the youth. The Mover of this Motion has tried to educate us on the Budget-making process. He has told us that the first step is that of policy formulation. I would be afraid to imagine that the policy formulation can only be made by the Executive arm of the Government, the Minister and the people at the Treasury. I believe that they do not have adequate facts that can effectively formulate policy on all the issues that they will then table in this House as a Budget. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the recent events surrounding the Ministry of Finance July 2, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1555 even puts that into more of a situation that Kenyans can no longer trust. When the Budget was being read out here, I noticed that there was a tax exemption on luxury sporting equipment that is to be used in luxury hotels. I then wondered at what point that could really affect the live of the common mwananchi. I, therefore, see a disconnect between the Executive that formulates policy on the Budget and what Kenyans are wishing for. I, therefore, call upon this House to support the introduction of this Bill and to fast-track it, so that by the next Budget, we will not depend on an Executive that has proved not to be trustworthy, but depend on what Kenyans want by including them in the formulation of the Budget. I also have an issue with the way money is allocated to the Ministries. I take into consideration that the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and the Women Enterprise Development Fund are allocated money that cannot be explained. For the last few years, the allocations made to the Funds have not really made a great impact on the lives of the women and the youths. I suggested in this House that we should suspend the disbursement of the YEDF until the National Youth Policy is debated and we have agreed on what exactly are the priority needs of the youth in this country. Is it job creation or training? This can only happen if we fast-track this Bill, so that we can debate these issues. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, even if I do not come from an arid or semi-arid area, I was totally dismayed by the kind of money that was allocated to the Ministry of Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands. As a country, we had raised the hopes of the people of North Eastern region. I think we had, as a country, raised the hopes of the people of North Eastern Kenya and its arid areas that this Government will take into consideration that they have been left behind for many years. I think what was done was a public relations exercise and that is what is going to happen this year. But in the next budget, we must put in place a mechanism that will look into the real needs of that area and give them appropriate money. That is why, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to support this Motion and really congratulate, once again, the hon. Member who has brought it to this House. I also want to congratulate him for always being relevant. I pray that this House will also be relevant by supporting this Bill and passing it as soon as possible. With those few remarks, I support the Motion."
}