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{
"id": 209089,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/209089/?format=api",
"text_counter": 143,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Wetangula",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 210,
"legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
"slug": "moses-wetangula"
},
"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, with the increased demand for electricity from our national grid, I think we need to increase the supply. I was saying that we need to hasten the connection between Eastern Africa and Southern Africa Power Pool, which has the capacity to give us more power. We also need the East African Masterplan on Power to work hand in hand with the SADC Power Masterplan that is planning to develop the massive hydro-capacity on the River Congo, so that Kenya can, in future, if we are to achieve our Vision 2030, access readily available, clean and cheap source of energy. Mr. Speaker, Sir, given the rate at which our economy is growing, one can see a situation August 14, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3143 where in the next five to ten years, the need for our energy supply will double. I want to see great exploitation of the geothermal power within the Rift Valley. As you know, between Lake Naivasha and Lake Baringo, we have proven reserves of up to about 2,400 megawatt production of geothermal power. To date, we are exploiting just about 400 or 500 of the available resources. It is a renewable and clean source of energy, and, I think, a little focus should be put on that in terms of exploration, exploitation and harnessing it to the national grid. I also want to mention the issue of transportation of fuel. Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and western parts of Kenya rely heavily on the transportation of fuel, by both pipeline and trailers and tankers. These trailers and tankers have had a heavy toll on our roads. Now that the roads are being reconstructed, now that a lot of infrastructure development is going on, we need the Ministry to focus on expanding the capacity of the pipeline, so that the pipeline extension to Kampala, in fact, goes on up to Rwanda. Internally, as well, we can have a pipeline inter-connector to northern and central Kenya, so that we take these monsters off the roads, because every time the roads are fixed, these trailers, with unchecked axleloads, come and destroy the same roods. We end up with reconstruction of roads, when the funds used would have otherwise been used elsewhere. Mr. Speaker, Sir, many hon. Members have raised concerns, and I want to join in, on the management of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). In this day and age in the manpower and womanpower development of Kenya, I do not believe that we need to import white people to come and run an organisation such as the KPLC. If we are looking for engineers, we have enough local engineers. If we are looking for economists, we have enough local economists; even if we are looking for persons of whatever capacity, we have them. I am told that the amount of money we use to pay the expatriate managers at the KPLC is, in fact, enough to extend some of the services on rural electrification that we are talking about. Why do we have these foreigners managing the KPLC? Look at the success of Kenya Airways (KQ) in the hands of Kenyans. Look at the success of Mumias Sugar Company (MSC) in the hands of Kenyans. Mr. Speaker, Sir, look at the success of our banks, the Barclays Bank of Kenya (BBK) and the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). All these are major and critical institutions run by Kenyan sons and daughters. Why should the KPLC be an exception? This has to stop! This idea of us dancing to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and being told who to hire and put where must, in this day and age, be stopped, because it is not necessary. It is totally unhelpful and, above all, it is not cost effective. At the end of the day you will find that as those expatriates sit at the top earning fat salaries, all the work is done by local boys and girls. This is something that we need to look into. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to end by urging the Ministry to continue with the good work they are doing in rural electrification, to continue agitating for allocation of more funds from the Treasury, so that the dream of Kenyans to have access to electricity for faster development, particularly in the rural areas, is realised. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}