{"id":199741,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/199741/?format=json","text_counter":268,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Mr. Balala","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":9,"legal_name":"Najib Mohamed Balala","slug":"najib-balala"},"content":"Mr. Temporary Deputy Chairman, Sir, I support the amendment by Dr. Oburu. This is because the levies introduced have affected factories. As I speak, the affected factories have closed down. The costs of bread and other essential commodities are high. We are impoverishing our people. This is a serious issue. We can tax as much as we can, but we should not hurt the mwananchi at the grassroots level. There is already an understanding over a green levy between the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and producers of plastic bags. Why do we not give a chance for that levy to come into effect? I beg to support."}