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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I stand here to support the Motion. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Minister and his staff for the very good work they are doing, particularly with regard to Rural Electrification Programme (REP). We know where we are coming from. We know that the area of rural electrification has been neglected for a long time. It is gratifying to see that, over the last two years, the Ministry of Energy has stepped up its efforts to ensure that rural electrification is not only revived, but it is put in very high gear. I also want to say that wherever I go, not only in my constituency, but in other constituencies, there has been a fair distribution of rural electrification projects. In many areas, the Ministry is doing everything possible to see that every part of this country benefits. Having said that, I would like to say that there have been many delays in the implementation of that important project. Judging by the number of Questions that hon. Members ask here, projects that were started many years ago have not been completed. It is fair to say that the Ministry needs to do something to ensure that those projects that have stalled are completed. That is happening because some few contractors have been given too many projects and, therefore, are unable to finish them. We need to see, as soon as possible, those projects which the Ministry has embarked on, completed. There is also a challenge on materials. The Minister has frequently told the House that materials have not been forthcoming. The Ministry ought to remove those challenges - lack of materials and non-completion of projects by contractors - so that, at least, those projects that have been started are completed. I want to, particularly, draw the attention of the Minister to a pending implementation of a rural electrification project in my constituency. I understand it was to be done under a French Assistance Programme. It covers a very large area of my constituency. That project has stalled for a long time. Although I have got assurance that, that work will be resumed, I would like the Minister to see to it that those projects, which wananchi have been informed that they will be done, are done as soon as possible. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, quite a number of areas are a distance from the main electricity lines. Therefore, it calls for the Ministry to intensify its efforts to use solar energy to supply power. I have in mind areas in my constituency where it will take some time before actual electricity from the main lines reach those areas. I know that the Ministry has got programmes for solar energy. But some of those programmes have been, more or less, directed to North Eastern areas of this country. We know some areas in Mwingi and Kitui districts where it is very difficult to supply electricity using the main lines. Therefore, I want to urge the Minister to include Mwingi and Kitui districts in the programmes for solar energy. I say this because I know that, unless we do that, particulary if we want schools to benefit from Information Technology (IT), it will take many years before those areas get power. The Minister can make a deliberate effort to, once again, serve the areas which have, hitherto, been forgotten, to ensure that they get power, particularly, to develop their schools. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the issue of coal has been talked about. I was listening from my office when the Minister for Finance was seconding this Motion. He talked about coal exploration in Mwingi and Kitui districts. The issue of coal has been on for many years. We have talked about coal exploration and the deposits, which are very large. I remember when we were 3068 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 8, 2007 preparing the Strategy Paper for Poverty Eradication, coal exploration in Mwingi and Kitui districts was identified as one of the areas where poverty would be reduced greatly, if the mineral resource was explored. But that has remained a pipe-dream. I want the Minister to confirm to the nation in general, and to the people of Mwingi and Kitui districts in particular, that he will get investors as quickly as possible to come and ensure that, that coal is mined. He should get a suitable investor who can invest so that, we can reduce poverty in those areas. Not only that, but that mineral could be a source of alternative energy. If you visit countries like China, coal is still being mined. It is a big source of energy. We are here suffering from lack of sufficient energy. When the Minister was moving this Motion, he said that we are almost up to the limit of the amount of energy that we are spending. But we have a very high potential of an unexploited resource in the field of coal. The amount of money that has been allocated this financial year will not improve what we want to see. We want to see an investor. We want to see that mineral being mined as soon as possible, with the necessary infrastructure. If that is done, we will not only get an additional source of energy in this country, but we will go a long way in alleviating poverty, which is very prevalent in the area that I come from. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the price of fuel has continued to rise. I need not say that whenever the price of fuel rises, it causes the prices of other items to rise. We are very unfortunate. I do not know why, for many years, this country has been unable to strike oil. Why is it that the country north of us, namely Sudan, is able to strike oil? I have asked that question several times. Why is it that the country south of us, namely Tanzania, is able to strike gas? Recently, we read in the news that Uganda, our neighbouring country in the west, has struck oil. Could it be that we are so unfortunate? I believe that we have got that resource. I want to urge the Minister to intensify efforts to ensure that this country strikes oil as soon as possible. The amount of money we are paying to import oil products could be well utilised in investing in this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also the issue of using ethanol to blend our petrol, so that the price could be cheaper. We know that ethanol is a by-product of sugar. This country happens to produce a lot of sugar. We know countries like Brazil have successfully used the by-product of sugar - that is ethanol - to blend their petrol. In the process, Brazilians are now paying much less in the import bill of petrol. Therefore, I want to urge the Minister that, as he moves to explore and ensure that coal is mined to produce an alternative source of energy, he should also ensure that the by-products of sugar are used to blend petrol. That will go a long way in reducing the price of that commodity and, in the process, reduce the cost of living for our people. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to end by, again, congratulating the Minister and urging him to ensure that all rural electrification projects which have been planned, earmarked or started, are completed as soon as possible, so that those who are targeted could benefit. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}