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"speaker_name": "Mr. Serut",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development",
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"legal_name": "John Bomet Serut",
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, another dimension has been introduced in the same area. Whereas the Government is collecting taxes from the people of Mt. Elgon, because of the insecurity which has continued in that area, there is now a rag-tag group among the so-called Sabaot Land Defence Force, which has taken over that particular area and it is collecting from people what it refers to as protection fees. The people of Mt. Elgon are asking: \"Where is the Government? Why are we being asked to pay protection fees?\" The group is asking as much as Kshs70,000 from those who are working and a minimum of Kshs1,000 from peasant farmers for their protection. Mr. Speaker, Sir, my people are worried and they are living in fear. This is because, recently, that group was able to snatch six firearms from our security agents. It is going to a month now since that happened, yet, the Government seems to have no programme to retrieve those guns from that group. Since the Minister of State for Provincial Administration and National Security is here, I would like him to know that four AK-47 rifles and two machine guns are in the hands of this group. This has created a lot of fear. The teachers and pupils are not ready to go to school, June 26, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2021 because they fear that since a certain group is armed, it could attack them at any time. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am requesting the Minister, through his agencies, to move as fast as possible to retrieve those guns, have those fellows arrested and schools re-opened. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to congratulate the Minister for the taxation measures that he has come up with. I want to congratulate him also for dealing with poverty in this country indirectly, not by reducing the prices of food commodities, but by relieving the poor the burden of paying fees, improving the infrastructure and allocating enough money to the Ministry of Health. The Minister has now actually mandated the Ministry of Health to distribute drugs directly to the health centres. This has relieved most people, especially, those from my constituency. They are very happy, and I want to thank the Minister for that. However, we have a problem with the Ministry of Lands. Last year, it was given Kshs400 million to purchase land in order to settle the squatters in this country. As I speak, one of the causes of insecurity in Mt. Elgon is the issue of land. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the coming financial year, we are being asked to pass Kshs1.2 billion to settle squatters. However, the Ministry has not reported to this House how it spent the Kshs400 million. Who were the beneficiaries? We were not told. Kenyans have been asking about this: \"This money was passed, yet we are still squatters where we were. We have no report. What is the Minister for Lands doing with the money?\" As such, we urge the Government to be very transparent and come up with settlement programmes. He should tell Kenyans what he did with the Kshs400 million, who are being settled and who they are earmarking for settlement, in case, they will purchase any land with the money they are requesting this House to pass. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, many of my colleagues have applauded the issue of rural electrification. But the problem with the Rural Electrification Programme is about the contractors who are given the work to do. Some of them are either doing sub-standard work or delaying the work. I believe that is because there is no close supervision from the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). The question is: What is this particular company doing to ensure that these contractors do proper work and finish it in good time? The Minister for Energy should look into this issue because there is a lot of money being pumped into the Rural Electrification Programme, but there is very little being done on the ground. Another issue which has generated a lot of debate is about the exemption of the monthly pension for senior citizens. As I speak to you, many issues have been raised by the public. Why has the Minister decided to narrow it to senior citizens who are above 65 years and not from those who are 50 years? Those who retire at 50 are also given their full benefits and yet they have been left out. Kenyans are asking: \"How many senior citizens above 65 are there?\" According to them, they are very few and they are seeing the Government to be very unfair because the number of pensioners we are talking about is negligible. We call upon the Minister to look into exempting all those who have retired at the age of 50 years and above, and let them benefit from this relief. Another issue which has generated a lot of debate is about the 120 per cent increase in taxation on plastic bags. Imposing this tax does not stop Kenyans from buying their basic commodities. This will not remove these particular products from the market. I say so because the producers and the sellers who are packing their products in plastics are passing this particular tax to the consumers. The poor people are being taxed indirectly through this taxation. I think if the Minister wanted to do away with plastics and really cared about the environment, he would have banned plastics from this country. Let him bring a Bill here and we will do away with plastics, but not through taxation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is the issue of 20 per cent Excise Duty on used motor vehicle spare parts. The reason why this country allowed the importation of used motor vehicles is because people are poor. The reason why we allowed the importation of used spare parts is because we wanted those who had bought used motor vehicles to access spare parts. By increasing or 2022 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES June 26, 2007 introducing an Excise Duty of 20 per cent, all the Government is doing right now, through the back door, is to tell Kenyans that they have no right to ownership of motor vehicles. I do not see any sense in one purchasing a used vehicle and then he has to go for new spare parts. If one is not able to purchase a new vehicle, I do not think he or she will be able to buy new spare parts. Therefore, on behalf of Kenyans, I am requesting the Minister to reconsider removing this Excise Duty of 20 per cent."
}