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{
"id": 197993,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197993/?format=api",
"text_counter": 92,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Ruteere",
"speaker_title": "The Member for North Imenti",
"speaker": {
"id": 92,
"legal_name": "Silas Muriuki Ruteere",
"slug": "silas-ruteere"
},
"content": "There are issues that have made the constituents of North Imenti think that I am better off in this House. One of these issues is education. We have a serious problem in the education system, which should be addressed. This problem is worse than the clashes that we experienced. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has let this country down. At no time in the history of this country have we had two sets of examination results. The 2007 examination has had two sets of results. Some of the students who had higher marks are getting lower grades, and those who had lower marks are getting higher grades. This is an exercise which was done in a very poor way. This shows inefficiency. There was leakage, which was denied. I do not know why students are penalised for no mistakes of their own, while the culprits go scot-free. We are breeding people of no integrity in our institutions. We are killing integrity in our institutions, yet we expect the nation to move into integrity in future years. This will be very difficult. There is a lot of corruption at the KNEC. We should examine what is going on at the 130 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 12, 2008 KNEC, and overhaul the whole system. If the workers there are lowly paid they should be paid properly, so that they do not solicit for funds outside their own means. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have the free primary and secondary education programmes, but it is meaningless to have classes without teachers. If we tell parents we have the free primary and secondary education programmes, and ask them to employ teachers--- It is better for the Government to employ teachers and then ask parents to assist with some facilities. We should have teachers employed by one institution, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), instead of having both the Government and parents employing teachers. This causes a lot of problems. That is why the standards of education cannot be maintained. That is why the issue of cheating comes up. Those who do not do well want to push up. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also the issue of security in our villages. Security personnel were withdrawn from some of the police posts. Administration Police (AP) posts are now not properly manned. Bad people have now found their way to the villages to harass people and steal their belongings and property. People feel very insecure, especially in the areas I come from. These are areas like Barrier, Ruiri and Gacua. In all these areas police officers have been withdrawn. We want them taken back because security has not improved; it is worse now. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are talking of farming activities being encouraged, but farm inputs are beyond the reach of the farmers. A 50-kilogramme bag of fertilizer, for example, is now selling at Kshs4,000. It is very difficult for an ordinary farmer to buy these farm inputs, prepare the shamba and expect his or her farm to yield half of what he or she has put in. Therefore, if the prices of inputs will not be reduced, the Government should find a way of subsidizing the cost, so that farmers can continue with their farming activities. Subsidy to farmers is provided even in some developed countries. Ours would not be the first country to do so. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, roads in our urban areas are being built very poorly. Engineers collude with contractors. They use quarry dust and then on top of it tar is poured. Within one or two years, there is no tarmac on those roads. The work goes on as if there are no people employed to supervise and oversee what is done. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not an engineer, but I see what is happening in Meru Town. It is one of the worst quality and should be done away with. When I asked officers in the Ministry of Roads and Public Works, they said that it is not their job. They said that it is the job of the Ministry of Urban Development. Now, I do not know! Something should be done so that we can have quality work going on in construction of our roads. Otherwise, the real issues should be addressed properly. Last year, we got the message that the Youth Enterprise Development Fund was to get Kshs1 billion to start more enterprises for the youth. This money has not reached them. They have applied for it, but they do not even know where to get it. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there should be a way through which the youth can be informed how to access the money, so that it can help them. Otherwise, there is no need of saying that the Fund has Kshs1 billion, Kshs2 billion, Kshs3 billion or Kshs10 billion, when that money does not reach the people it is meant to benefit. Thank you."
}