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"id": 217179,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Oniang'o",
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"legal_name": "Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to support this Motion, and contribute to the Budget Speech. I will start by congratulating the June 26, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2025 Minister, Mr. Kimunya. This is his second Budget and I believe that he is trying his best to do as much as he can with the amount of money that he has. I will just point out the areas that I think he, really, needs to be complemented on. I hope that the Women Enterprise Development Fund will be managed properly, so that, truly, the women who deserve the money can get it. Regarding the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, we are now trying to prepare the youth groups and see how they can benefit from these funds. I also hail the Minister for exempting pension from taxation. Indeed, I believe, he tried. Having said so, I still have issues. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is the fifth Budget since we came to Parliament, and the final one for this Parliament, and I continue to have problems with the Budget-making process. Having said so, let me add that I think for the first time, this year, many of us actually went to pre-Budget meetings, and were able to understand better how the Budget-making process takes place. So, indeed, I would call it a participatory process. So, I believe that we are moving ahead with doing so. However, at the same time, even though taxation has gone up, resulting in an increase in revenue collection, we still have too many priorities. So, the money tends to be spread too thinly. The Budget has, for instance, stepped up support towards agriculture but we would like to reach a situation where farmers will be exempted from taxation for, at least, many years, like India does. India is able to do so. Farmers end up being amongst the poorest in our society, and yet if they go on strike for even one season, we will all starve to death. So, it is very important that we look at these issues and try to consolidate the gains that we have realised. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I just want to say that the issue of corruption is not going to leave us until we are able to recover the money that has been lost through Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg. That is money of Kenya which has actually disappeared. It has to be recovered and we have to be shown that has been recovered. I believe that this Government is able to recover that money, just like Nigeria has recovered money that was lost through corruption. So, sitting here and telling us that it is not possible, is not acceptable."
}