HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 191045,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/191045/?format=api",
"text_counter": 218,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Muthama",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 96,
"legal_name": "Johnson Nduya Muthama",
"slug": "johnson-muthama"
},
"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also rise to support this very important Motion that was brought by hon. Mbau. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was consulting with hon. Ogindo here because during his contribution, he referred to a certain region as a community by its identity. We have made that correction with him and he has agreed that it was wrong. We are trying to do away with the issue of tribalism. It is wrong for a certain community to be identified by its identity, especially when we are contributing to a very crucial Motion like this one. I was happy when he referred to the western region as Western Province and Nyanza as Nyanza Province. But when he referred to Central Province and mentioned the Kikuyus, it did not go down well with me. I think we need to do away with tribalism. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we pay taxes to raise money to run this country. When the Budget was read here the other day, we realized that Kshs1 million was given to each constituency to manage its sports activities. That allocation was done in the wrong way because there was no consultation such as the one being introduced by the Motion. My constituency has 325,000 residents and it was allocated Kshs1 million to manage sports activities. If you look at it carefully, there are constituencies with 60,000 people which have been given the same amount of money. All we are trying to say in this Motion is that, if there were consultations, and if they involved the representatives of the people, probably, we would have given a different suggestion that could have helped the country. 1556 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 2, 2008 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, those who sit down year in, year out to plan about our Budget mostly base it on their interests, and not on the interests of the people who are represented. This Parliament is a supreme House that has got the mandate to represent Kenyans. It is through these elected hon. Members where the problems of the people of Kenya can be understood. I know what my constituents need. I know the needs in my constituency. If there was a Committee that consults hon. Members, probably, I could have given a suggestion of what is needed in my constituency. But you realize that we have executive officials who sit down and decide on what is to be given and what is to be used. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also want to revisit an issue that was expressed by hon. Mungatana. It is a shame that you wake up and find that there are two classifications of civil servants in this country. There is one which is referred to as \"highly paid\" and another one which is referred to as \"lowly paid\". The \"highly paid civil servants\" have actually been classified by those who take themselves to be seniors. Because there is no committee to challenge such issues, we wake up to find out that there are Permanent Secretaries who have increased their salaries by over 200 per cent. They awarded themselves a salary increase of Kshs200,000 per month. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, that budgetary allocation should be made by this House to serve Kenyans! Kenya's interests should be decided by a Committee and its recommendations will serve Kenyans! Look at the issue of pre-primary teachers. We keep on talking about it here and money is being allocated to the Ministry of Education. There is no suggestion or proposal whatsoever to cater for pre-primary school teachers! They have no job classification or income whatsoever and yet, they are expected to build and mould the brains of our young children who are supposed to go to primary schools! There is no job creation! If we have a Committee, that issue will be presented to it and, since it will be coming from this Parliament, it will be taken seriously. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, that does not end up there. The Budget is proposed by the Executive sitting somewhere. It is the Executive which decides what is to be given to Kenyans. Those people make the Budget based on the needs that serve them! You will find that in the allocation of fuel to the Government officials. It is more than what should be given! They are doing that because they are the users of the vehicles; they are the users of those facilities. But those who do not have the capacity and opportunity to propose for themselves, they do not have the chance to get an increment on those proposed budgets! It is wrong for this House just to be told: \"Approve this loan which is being given by the Japanese Government to go and improve the Kenya Ports Authority\"! It is not in details. This has been cushioned somewhere. It is just brought to this House to be passed. Probably, had they consulted such a Committee, they would have come out with firm issues that would have enabled this country to move forward. Probably, we do not need to put that money there. We need to put it in water, so that Kenyans can be able to grow food and stop importing food from outside! We may suffer for three months, but that Port has been there for the last many years! It has been the same! It has been generating business but, currently, Kenyans do not need to service the Port. They need to build dams. They need to have clean water for their people and medical treatment. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Motion is very important and I urge my colleagues to pass it with the strongest ways and means possible, so that the Bill can be drafted and brought to the House to be passed. With those very few remarks, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to support."
}