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"id": 193194,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Mututho",
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"legal_name": "John Michael Njenga Mututho",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in supporting this Motion, I first of all would like to say that I was disappointed by the strategy the Minister for Finance adopted in sorting out poverty, particularly in the rural areas. It is a fact that those Kenyans who are privileged in northern and western Kenya, parts of Eastern Province and most of the central Kenya, particularly around the squatter areas and areas accupied by farm workers know that those people live in absolute poverty. This Budget fell short of addressing that. There are no specific measures or anything that can be traced that has been proposed that could improve their livelihood. I would have thought it useful if the Minister followed the Dubai model as a business strategy. It is a fact. We know it, and everybody knows that the Dubai model was actually meant to be in Mombasa. They only changed the name from Mombasa to Dubai. What I am trying to say is that if you developed Mombasa into a free port, and ensured that 51 per cent shareholding of all companies that trade within that free port is Kenyan, that way you would have immense wealth coming in and being translated into national development. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in 1998, those who travelled to Dubai know that it took us over three hours to board a plane to Singapore, because their airport was worse than ours at Mombasa in terms of size. Today, you cannot even compare. It is like they are in the First World while we are going down to the Third World. Those are the kind of things that the Minister should have focused on. Kenya developed primarily due to two things: First when we constructed the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), it was the best in this region; it was better than those in Singapore and the Far East Asia. Secondly, there was the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) before the Jogoo party took it over. Those two combined and promoted tourism to the extent that the smaller hotels along the Coast and the Maasai Mara were able to flourish. We need such infrastructure, which will allow the investors to come in and put money here. People cannot just come and here invest money for no apparent reason. In Naivasha we had the ground satellite launched. That concept should be developed again, so that all the information and communications technology (ICT) and telecommunications industries are developed in the region. That would be a multi-billion shilling industry. If that is done, then our Budget will grow into many trillions of shillings, and many Kenyans will benefit. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is unfortunate that those who produce do not benefit. There should be benefit sharing. The Nairobi Water Company or whoever draws water from River Ndakaini must find a way of taking back some money to the people who live around it. That is because those people are subjected to a new environment which is very cold and uncomfortable. They have to meet higher health bills. They do not like water. It is not something that they do as a hobby. There are costs. So, those people who benefit from that water must also share that benefit with other people. The same applies to the geo-thermal power plant in Naivasha. It is good because it is producing so many megawatts of power. That is fine and great. But the hydrogen sulphur which comes together with that vapour is also damaging the lungs of the local people. So, the people around Lake Naivasha and the geo-thermal power plant should also benefit from the total turnover from KenGen and the geo-thermal plant. That is benefit sharing. June 18, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1227 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the neighbours of national parks are the ones who are eaten by hyenas and lions. There should be direct benefit to the people. That way, we will increase peoples' wealth. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to make some comments regarding the agriculture sector. Let us admit that the reason why we are not feeding ourselves and many Kenyans are dying of starvation is because of poor planning and implementation of agricultural policies, haphazard research and implementation of grossly irrelevant agronomic principles to an extent that, those who import fertilizers just import that word \"fertilizer.\" When they say that they are importing 1546 DAP fertilizer, no one checks to know where that fertilizer will be applied. Subsequently, we have a situation where soils have been damaged extensively and, therefore, production cannot occur. It is not rocket science that when there is rain, there is plenty of food in Ukambani. Surely, with all the amount of water we have in Tana River - and that is where we generate electricity - why can we not just simply pump clean water to the hills of Mwingi - which are adjacent - and provide the Kambas with water to do irrigation? We do not want to hear that the soils are not good. If, as a fact, when there are rains, there are ample foodstuffs, then let us have the ample harvest everyday by doing proper agriculture, drainage and irrigation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, security is paramount. Even if we double the budget for our Police Force without changing the whole philosophy and thinking about our security, it will not be correct. If you go to the United States of America (USA) - and most of you have been there - in a scene of crime, about ten or 20 officers will come driving their own cars and there is no restriction. If you are involved in a skirmish somewhere like Naivasha, the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD), District Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO), and, maybe, the District Commissioner (DC) will share only one Land Rover. Then you will know that within a radius of 140 kilometres, only one car will be coming; a Land Rover owned by either the DC or the other officers. That cannot control crime. That is not a good environment for investment. I think that the Minister - and he should be listening wherever he is - should now come up with a policy where police officers, particularly above the level of Corporal, are able to import cars duty-free as long as they are gainfully employed to combat crime and used for normal policing. That may cost the Exchequer nothing, but it will make Kenyans benefit immensely in terms of security. That is a very serious matter. Still talking about the police, I, sometimes, think they shoot to kill out of frustrations. They direct their frustrations to the wrong people; the citizens of this country whom we represent here in this honourable House. What they should do is send their frustrations to their seniors who should in turn, direct them to the Minister for Finance, who is making piecemeal provisions for their welfare. Having said that, I would like to add that this year's Budget was completely irrational in terms of equal distribution of resources within the Ministries and even regions. For instance, Nakuru has six constituencies and several District Commissioners (DCs). They are all lumped together as Nakuru District. Obviously, the Minister for Finance knows that there are four or five DCs. There is a DC in Naivasha, Molo and Subukia. Why would the Minister assume that all those DCs operate at the District Commissioner's office in Nakuru? The only reason I can think of is that he is not willing to put appropriate budgetary provisions in all the aspects as far as the budgetary allocation is concerned. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, while winding up, I want to support this Motion because of one reason; that, at least, the Minister woke up from his slumber and noted that we need equality, fair distribution of resources and that there are poor people here who need to be addressed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to support."
}