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"id": 217164,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/217164/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Onyancha",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant for Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 126,
"legal_name": "Charles Onyancha",
"slug": "charles-onyancha"
},
"content": " Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Last time, I had just finished congratulating the Minister for Finance for putting up a Budget that would be called a pro-poor Budget. The Government has done well in coming up with the economic growth of 6.1 per cent. I think we need to congratulate the Government for this. However, I indicated that the Kshs3.2 billion that has been allocated to the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services is really not sufficient because of the many issues that are supposed to be catered for in the administration of sports. An amount of Kshs3.2 billion could suffice, if only it was given to the sports sector. However, as you know, Kshs3.2 billion caters for gender, culture and social services matters. So, we are appealing, in view of the fact that sports is being diversified now, and only this morning alone, we sent about 300 athletes to Algiers for the All Africa Games--- This really requires a lot of money. The Ministry has also come up with the Sports Rewards Scheme. So, this calls for a lot of funding to the Ministry so that we can develop sports stadia and sports, in general. We know that we have challenges in running the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services. We have certain federations that are not helping us improve on sports matters. I want to laud the initiative by one renowned sportsman in this country, Mr. Kipchoge Keino, who is also associated with the National Olympic Committee (NOC). He has come up with a proposal that we should have an arbitration committee to deal with matters such as the one that is facing the Kenya Football Federation (KFF). This will ensure that we address those matters without necessarily running to courts. We, therefore, think that we make a good case for more funding in terms of sports matters. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we also wish to commend the Government for setting aside Kshs2 billion of the Women Enterprise Development Fund. I am sure that the Kshs2 billion that is meant for women will go a long way in alleviating problems that the women of Kenya are facing in the countryside. I only hope that it will be disbursed quickly and that, as a Ministry, we should bring a legal framework and a structure so quickly so that we do not go as slow as what has been reflected in the disbursement of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund by the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs. So, we want to move faster on this and disburse those funds for women so that they can start using them. On issues of education, the Kshs112 billion that has been given to the Ministry of Education is quite a big figure. However, there are challenges in the Ministry of Education as well. The fact that the Ministry has shown positive indications to employ over 11,000 teachers is a step in the right direction. We want to appeal that this should not just cease within this financial year. 2016 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES June 26, 2007 We should be able to work out a programme where we shall annually be able to improve on this figure so that we have more teachers coming in. Since we have free primary school education, the numbers are now swelling at the primary school level and also, at the secondary school level. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the issue of bursaries is also good enough. This little matter of disbursement - who should be disbursing the bursary - should not arise because through the Constituencies Bursary Committees, we think that the money is still being disbursed properly and the people are benefitting a great deal. The Ministry of Education has also, through this Budget, provided some subsidy, through tuition, to students in secondary schools. This should also be commended. We hope that, come January, the Government will provide the money that has been budgeted for so that we have this subsidy going to the parents through tuition. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we also laud the Government for, finally, putting aside money to pay teachers in the agreement that they had with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT). Teachers are now being paid well and on time. All that we are asking is that they reciprocate also by providing a lot of support as they teach so that we have quality education within our areas. Perhaps, what the Ministry of Education may also wish to address is the issue of quality in our schools. We cannot have quality education if we do not have adequate inspectors overseeing what the teachers are doing in the classroom situation. So, we are appealing to the Minister for Education to increase the number of inspectors so that we can keep track with quality standards in our education system. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Budget has also addressed the issue of pensioners by giving them a tax relief. The Government could not have done better than it has done. We commend the Government for doing so. We also appeal that whenever there is a salary review for our workers, we should also consider giving an increment to our pensioners. In that way, the people who served the public for many years and are now resting at home will enjoy the benefits of serving the public. So, we laud that tax relief for pensioners. Mr. Speaker, Sir, money has been given to pyrethrum and coffee farmers. We commend the Government for paying the arrears that were outstanding in the pyrethrum sector. But there is still a problem in the tea sector, especially on the way it has been managed by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA). I am aware that a Motion has been brought to this House. It is a party Motion. It is a Ford(P) Motion. It is supposed to address issues in the tea sector. When we gave KTDA powers to supervise our tea factories, that did not mean abdication by the Ministry of Agriculture. So, we appeal to hon. Members to support that Motion, so that we can bring some air of relief in the tea sector. Mr. Speaker, Sir, farmers are complaining and yet, we have directors who have been appointed to the tea sector and who are really under-performing. We have factories such as Ogembo Tea Factory which are ---"
}