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"id": 210068,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Muturi",
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"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi",
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"content": ", that is aired on television sets? Therefore, I want to urge the Minister and his team to, particularly call upon the KPLC to expand on their Marketing Department. I say that because in areas where we are implementing a lot of Rural Electrification Programme projects, you will find that not many residents are aware of what they need to do. This being an election year, if you or I call a public meeting or a public baraza like we always do, and we start showing people the electric lines and telling them what they should do, they may not trust us. In any case, we are not experts on that area. Therefore, it is only fair that where programmes are earmarked, sufficient personnel from the Marketing Department of the KPLC are sent there to go and educate the people of the potential benefits that they are likely to accrue from the power being taken to their villages. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to look at the issue of wood fuel. When you look through the Development Estimates of the Ministry, apparently, even under the Alternative Energy Sources, there is no mention of anything to do with use of wheat. We know that, obviously, the demand for power will continue to increase in the foreseeable future. Indeed, even with the commissioning of the Sondu Miriu Power Plant, it is not likely that the power will be enough for the country. Indeed, currently, people are being encouraged to shift their production periods from peak hours to off-peak hours for the simple reason that we do not have enough power. Therefore, I would like to urge the Ministry to consider doing some little investment, either through partnering with the private sector to explore the possibilities of exploring the enormous potential that is in the North Eastern, and indeed, upper Eastern Province and Turkana District. If you look at the Development Estimates you will realise that the amount of money allocated to Alternative Energy Technologies is only Kshs20 million. Out of the Kshs20 million, Kshs13.5 million is the only amount earmarked to go to research, feasibility studies, project preparations and design, and project supervision. One does not need to be a very serious economist to see that this is less than a drop in the ocean. If this is the only amount of money that the Treasury could give them, then there is need for the Minister to encourage the private sector to move in and partner with the Government in this area of alternative sources of energy and developing other technologies that would be beneficial to the country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the area of wood fuel, the Minister talked about the figure of Kshs113 million that has been allocated to that. However, under wood fuel, within that budget, what has been earmarked to go to research, feasibility study, project design and supervision? Surprisingly, it is only Kshs6 million, yet we are talking about wood fuel being an important source of energy. I think we should be talking about encouraging people and the private sector to partner with this Ministry, which I believe is one of the leading performers. If we were to be fair--- Since they cannot get more allocation, there is need for them, like I said, with regard to Alternative Energy Technology area, to look at the private sector for partnerships. I want to talk about an issue that we have talked about a number of times. We have a number of small rivers in this country. Unfortunately, there seems to be no encouragement at all, from anybody, either from the private sector or the Government itself, to look into the possibility of constructing small dams within some of those rivers. That is very easy. If possible, some of them would be producing a few megawatts of power to assist in spurring economic growth in the countryside. As the hon. Deputy Speaker, said, I find it very strange the way we are behaving, like an island in a region. A lot of hope has been given, that we have engaged so-and-so in exploring fuel on this and that site. A few months down the road, we were told that they hit a dead end. There is nothing. I do not know what we should do. Do we need a national prayer to carry out this exercise? Is it that this country has not been mapped sufficiently to be able to identify areas with clear potential? This is something that beats logic. I want to urge the Minister that those they are 3070 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 8, 2007 dealing with be given areas which appear definite to yield something beneficial or commercial to the country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I conclude, I have observed that the Government's shareholding in the KPLC has been reduced to below 50 per cent. Is the KPLC a parastatal? The Government's equity is below 50 per cent. Should the Government equity in a Government parastatal, in which we are putting so much money, be reduced in the manner we have witnessed in the last two or so years? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is a well known fact that we passed the Privatisation Act. I think it is unfair that some form of privatisation of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) should be permitted to continue without following the clear provisions of the Privatisation Act. This means we are diluting Government shareholding in KPLC and yet, we, as a country, are pumping in so much resources. If, indeed, it is desirable to so reduce, like we are doing in other Government parastatals, then the clear provisions of that Act should be followed. Whatever public resources go into that company, we, as a country, are at least assured we do not run the risk of losing public resources to foreigners and other private investors. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of lifting of oil, I do understand this to be a concession and that the country negotiates with the concessioning country. It is better for the Minister, when replying, to clear the air. We do not want this issue to be debated here and people casting aspersions on either the Ministry, the Minister or other officials, so that the matter is put to rest. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}