HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 201698,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/201698/?format=api",
"text_counter": 158,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Wekesa",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Science and Technology",
"speaker": {
"id": 137,
"legal_name": "Alfred B. Wekesa Sambu",
"slug": "alfred-sambu"
},
"content": " I want to join you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in thanking the hon. Members. In fact, I am overwhelmed. I am really overwhelmed that at this point in time, when hon. Members are busy with other things, we should have this number of my colleagues contributing to this Bill. I really want to thank hon. Members for their very good contributions, some of them very scientific as you noted. This goes to show that hon. Members are very well informed and that they do their research to be able to contribute to very scientific Bills such as this one before the House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important to point out to Kenyans that--- I think one of the best things that happened recently is when His Excellency the President hived off the Ministry of Science and Technology from the Ministry of Education so that it stands on its own. Because of that, it can address issues of this nature. You will agree with me that if, in 1989, when an Act of Parliament established this Ministry, had it continued to be on its own from that time, this Bill would have already been passed. Therefore, I thank His Excellency the President for October 3, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 4337 realising that in this day of technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology is an important Ministry in the development of our economy. I would just like to underscore the point by referring to the Vision 2030. The proposed law is actually designed to support the country's Vision 2030, which identifies agriculture as the pillar of economic development in our country. Vision 2030 underscores the fact that science, research and technical innovation are the bedrock of modern knowledge economy. Indeed, in that Vision 2030, for those of us who have read it, we know that science and technology is the greatest pillar which will bring our economy to the level of Brazil and Korea by the year 2030. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on that score, I would also like to share with the House that as we pass this law - I hope it will be passed given time - Kenya is going to be one of the 23 countries that have actually passed the biosafety law. In Africa here, we are going to be the 8th country to pass this biosafety law. Without wasting time, I just want to read those countries that have actually passed the biosafety law. They are South Africa, Uganda, Burundi, Botswana, Nigeria, Egypt, Burkina Faso and now, Kenya. So, that goes to show that we are identifying science and technology as a vehicle for development. The other issue that is very important, before I go into the real Bill--- I touched on it when I moved the Bill."
}