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{
    "id": 209111,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/209111/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 165,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Muite",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 235,
        "legal_name": "Paul Kibugi Muite",
        "slug": "paul-muite"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also would like to support this Motion. If some of us were given the opportunity to rate the performance of the Ministries--- You know, somehow, the Government has got its own internal mechanisms of measuring the Ministries which are performing well. They do not ask some of us, who are the consumers. That is because we are interacting with these Ministries on behalf of our employers. Our employers, as you know, are our constituents. If I was to rate the Ministries, certainly, the Ministry of Energy is being run very well, almost as well as the Ministry of Roads and Public Works and the Ministry of Finance. These are the three Ministries that, I, personally, would rate as being run very well, particularly by the civil servants in those Ministries. 3146 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 14, 2007 Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to support this Motion but add the following; that, production of energy is a key issue. We are patting ourselves on the back that we have achieved a 6 per cent economic growth. However, before we hit double digits, we should not be congratulating ourselves. The point I want to make is this: If we are going to go into double digits growth rates, we have to address the issue of the cost of energy. We are not going to exceed double digits, like 10 per cent or 12 per cent, if the cost of energy is going to remain what it is. The cost of energy is key to manufacturing, transportation of goods and to economic growth. When you look at the cost of our energy compared to some other countries like Egypt, you will see that our cost is four times higher. How can we expect our industries to compete? The goods we are producing and manufacturing in Kenya have to be four times more expensive than what Egypt is producing. If the Government will subsidise the cost of energy, we will recover the subsidy by exporting goods which will be more competitive. That way, we will recover that subsidy. I urge the Government to note that it is very critical that we bring down the cost of energy and electricity in this country so that it can bring down the cost of manufacturing and irrigation, among other things. The Ministry of Energy needs to raise this issue with the Government. The issue has to be dealt with at Inter- Ministerial level and at Cabinet level. There has to be some intervention so that the cost of energy, be it electricity or petroleum can come down, if we hope to exceed the 10 per cent growth rate."
}