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"id": 195307,
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"speaker_name": "Mrs. Shabesh",
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"legal_name": "Rachel Wambui Shebesh",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Motion. I am very excited about it, because I believe this is the work we have come to do in this House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to start by stating that we will hold the House Business Committee (HBC) to account if the Bill sought by this Motion does not see the light of day in this House. These are the key issues that affect Kenyans. Therefore, it would be immoral to try and stop this Bill from coming to this to be discussed, simply because of vested interests. When I speak about vested interests, I am talking about multinational companies, and countries we import goods from. We know the reasons why these kinds of people would not like to see this issue debated. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Consumer Protection Bill will protect the poor people in this country. It is simply that; it will protect the poor wananchi in this country. I think the Government should be at the forefront in protecting the consumer. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, during our induction course I spoke about Kariobangi Light Industries. I want to repeat that I have information that the Ministry of Health imports beds from China and South Korea. I would like to ask again why they go for these beds, which cannot be welded when they break, from outside the country, when we have Kariobangi Light Industries which produce beds. If Kariobangi Light Industries beds break after two years, we can weld them and they can continue serving the people of this country. It is very unfair for a Government, which seeks to protect and work for its people, to go out of its way to improve China's economy rather than that of Kenyans, specifically those of Kariobangi. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to request the Ministries whose budgets are huge, and allow them to import the kind of things I am talking about--- There are many Ministries that could use locally made goods, whose standards are much higher than those of goods from other countries. By doing that, we will be improving the economy and creating jobs for the youth of this country. However, most importantly, we will be protecting our consumers. It is very unfair to walk into a Government facility and find substandard goods when you know very well that better quality of the same goods can be found in this country. Therefore, I support this Motion. I have to say that I have not looked at it in detail. However, we must support the spirit it has because it intends to protect wananchi whose money is very limited so that they do not use money to buy goods which are not of good standards. Mr. Midiwo talked about the issue of matatus dropping off commuters at Muthurwa. It is true that the issue has been persisting up to today. It is unfair for us to continue to keep quiet about an issue which is affecting the daily lives of Kenyans who are being dropped off at Muthurwa. April 30, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 763 Kenyans have decided to ignore the directive by the Minister. Therefore, we are leading this country into lawlessness because we are not looking at the simple issue of somebody walking from Muthurwa to Community to go to work. The matatus that stop at Muthurwa and turn back to go to Jericho to pick more people do not make money. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Kenyans have resorted to ignoring the Minister's directive and I support them. If the Government can give directives that make no sense and do not protect commuters, then I do not know what we are doing in this House. I, wholeheartedly, support this Motion and I repeat that we will hold the House Business Committee accountable if this Bill does not see the light of day, to be discussed in this House."
}