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"speaker_name": "Mr. Kamotho",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think the Assistant Minister has just come in. He was not here during the debate. The only person who was here and made a very useful contribution, is the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, hon. Wetangula. The Ministry of Trade and Industry is the one that is in charge of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). It is also involved in negotiations. Therefore, I am right to say what I said. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, secondly, it is important that Parliament is involved in the EPAs negotiation. This is because EPAs negotiation, which will most likely replace the Cotonou Agreement, has very far-reaching effects on the economy of our own country. We know that while Europeans have been over-emphasizing the need to enhance trade with the aim of having free trade relations with Europe, we, on the ACP side, have been emphasizing that what we need is development. This is because it is dangerous to enter into a trade agreement between two unequal partners. Although we are partners with the European Union (EU), we are not equal economically. They are more advanced industrially and, therefore, they can end up turning ACP countries into a market for its goods. Therefore, I wish to appeal to the Ministry which is in charge of EPAs negotiation, to bring here an update of the negotiations, so that this House can fully debate and make a contribution to the final arrangement between Kenya, as a member of the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region, which has 18 countries. Within these 18 countries, it is only Kenya, Mauritius and Zimbabwe which are considered not to be among the least developed countries. Those least developed countries, including Uganda and Tanzania, enjoy duty-free entry into the European market, yet we do not. So, the agreement which will be finally reached between the ESA countries and the EU may have very far-reaching impact on the economy of this country. Therefore, there is need for all those in charge of EPAs negotiation to be more serious and involve Parliament, so that Kenyans can have some input into that final arrangement. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in this Report, I also refer to the fact-finding mission which visited Kenya in 2005. The mission visited Kibera and Mandera. It also had an opportunity to meet His Excellency the President, who gave it a lot of time - almost two hours. It had an opportunity also to meet the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Vice-President and Minister for April 10, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 495 Home Affairs, several Ministers and several senior Government officers. The aim of the mission was to find out about the state of the economy, particularly, after the prolonged drought and famine in the country. It was also to establish how the EU can provide more assistance for both food security and the fight against poverty. We visited Kibera and spent a lot of time there. I think the delegation was shocked by the situation there; the living conditions, growth, health status and so forth. We then went to Mandera, particularly, Mandera District Hospital, where totally malnourished children were lying all over the floor of the hospital. Children who were 14 years old looked as if they were only two or three years old. The hospital had no water. We then had a meeting with all the leaders of Mandera, including the hon. Members of Parliament. Hon. Members of Parliament were asking why the EU could not assist the Mandera District Hospital, even to provide water. The members responded and asked whether they knew anything to do with National Indicative Programme. The National Indicative Programme which is done by the Ministry of Planning and National Development draws up a grocery of priority projects in all sectors of our economy, which can be financed through the EU. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, my colleagues, hon. Members of Parliament from Mandera were asked to raise that issue in this House so that the Minister for Finance could bring to this House the proposal for the National Indicative Programme, prior to the final approval, so that this Parliament, on behalf of Kenyans, could have an input. This Parliament does not know how some of the money that comes from the European Development Fund is utilized and how the priorities are set. Therefore, there is need for the Minister for Finance to ensure that he lays those proposals on the Table annually and in detail. He should not do it the way he does during the annual Budget where, I think, in the first few pages, you only see indications of funds coming from the donors, but we do not know the projects which that money is supposed to fund. It is important that the House is fully involved in the activities of international co-operation and agreements. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, looking at what many hon. Members talked about, let me restate that the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), which, as the Report says and I said at the beginning, is a partnership---"
}