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{
"id": 191958,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/191958/?format=api",
"text_counter": 172,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "[Ms.Odhiambo]",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 376,
"legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
"slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
},
"content": "of it should also go to orphans and vulnerable children. Mr. Temporary Deputy Chairman, Sir, if you look at certain smaller items in the Budget proposals, you will see that last year the Government spent Kshs5.7 million per day on hospitality. If I am being taxed, I do not want to see Kshs5.7 million being spent on hospitality. Secondly, if you look at the money spent last year again, Kshs2 billion plus was spent in State House alone. This money was spent on issues to do with utilities. In a layman's language, this is merely water and electricity. The budget that goes into State House is bigger than that which goes into five Ministries put together. If I am being taxed as a Member of Parliament, I want my money to go into proper use. I do not want to see Kshs2 billion spend on water and electricity in State House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Chairman, Sir, last year, the Government spent Kshs3.995 billion on rent. We have a lot of revenue that we are collecting in rent. For me, this account does not balance. I would like the Minister to explain to us why we are spending so much money on rent. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of printing, the Government has a Printing Press. But last year, they spent Kshs6.2 million per day on commercial printing. Again, if I am being taxed as a Member of Parliament, I do not want Kshs6.2 million spent on commercial printing when we have a Government Printer that is working and operational. Mr. Temporary Deputy Chairman, Sir, I know my time is running out, but I have a lot of issues to raise. On the foreign travel, I know Members of Parliament have been challenged on international travel. Civil servants use a lot of money on international travel, but we only focus on Members of Parliament. Again, if I am taxed as a Member of Parliament which I am not opposing, then civil servants international travel must also be reduced. Mr. Temporary Deputy Chairman, Sir, if you look at what they spent on purchase of cars is enormous. I will not quote the figures because of lack of time. There is the issue of money on security which we do not need for both the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) and the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority (KACA). We have been given one line budget item on it. The international practice is to itemise the expenditure on national security. If you look at Anglo Leasing type of expenditure, they were on those non- itemised types of budget. So, we would like to see that kind of reform. Mr. Temporary Deputy Chairman, Sir, finally, we are spending Kshs4.94 billion on paying for a navy ship which does not even have equipment in it. As a Member of Parliament, if I am being taxed, I would like to know why we are spending so much money on this naval ship and yet, the country is not at war with another country. We had an internal crisis. We were not at war with any country. Let us spend our money where we need to spend it. I do not oppose tax on MPs' salaries, but I want it used meaningfully. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}