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{
    "id": 193001,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/193001/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 255,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kathuri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 38,
        "legal_name": "Emilio Mureithi Kathuri",
        "slug": "emilio-kathuri"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to contribute to this Motion. I would want to repeat my names so that, at least, those who do not know me will be able to catch it fairly well. It is a very simple name. I have a very special name. I want to repeat my name so that it sinks in the ears of many hon. Members. My names are Emilio Kathuri from Manyatta Constituency. I stand here to support this Motion. I would like to mention quite a number of issues, which I thought should have been captured well. To start with, the Minister touched on the issue of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. Surely, there is no way anybody would think of borrowing money to go and start a business venture, when the interest rates are not attractive. Yes, the interest rate of 9 per cent looks attractive, but if the Minister wanted more youths to access this Fund, he should have reduced the 1306 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES June 19, 2008 interest rate further down so that it becomes more affordable to the youth. The same case applies to the Women Enterprise Development Fund. I recall a number of years back, when the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) was disbursing money in our area. Unfortunately, the community ended up shying away from borrowing those funds. This was simply because the interest rates were not appealing. To make these funds more accessible to our youth, I would encourage the Ministry, through the hon. Minister, to think of how they can charge lower interest rates. That will make the funds more affordable to our youth. We know that they are not starting big business ventures. They are just starting small business ventures, which is just a question of survival. When they charge them high interest rates, I think the situation will, definitely, not improve on the ground. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of university education, I would want to raise the issue of bursaries. We should see more funds being channelled towards the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) so that they can advance more money to those students who are interested in pursuing further education. There are some parents whose sons and daughters applied for this facility from HELB, but were allocated very little amount. At times, students are given a paltry Kshs13,000. Parents who do not have income expect their children to get an average of Kshs60,000. The shortfall is quite big and such parents cannot raise the fees through other sources. I would imagine that the Ministry should have thought of increasing allocation to the HELB. That way, parents can access more money for their children. I also expected the Minister to address the issue of levies charged by the Ministry of Lands. The other day, the official search fees for land went up and there has been an outcry from ordinary"
}