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"id": 228505,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/228505/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Kibunguchy",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Health",
"speaker": {
"id": 294,
"legal_name": "Enoch Wamalwa Kibunguchy",
"slug": "enoch-kibunguchy"
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. May I also take this opportunity to say one or two words about the President's Speech. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will start off by saying that for the very first time the President's Speech was very concise. It did not take very long. In the process, I think he left out the health sector that I would like to talk about. Throughout his Speech, he never mentioned anything about the health sector. However, we know that when the successes of the NARC Government will be written down, the health sector will get the highest marks. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we assumed power in 2003, the health sector was in shambles. That was the time when it was not easy to get even the basic medication in some of our biggest hospitals in this country. However, over a period of time, with very clear reforms that were set up in the health sector, right now you will find even the smallest and remotest health facility in the country, having essential drugs for the treatment of the most prevalent diseases like malaria et cetera. There are other reforms that we have undertaken in the health sector. I want to inform every 316 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 3, 2007 hon. Member of Parliament that we have given a go-ahead to all the district medical officers, that if they can get workers and post them to all the health facilities that have been built through the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF), the Ministry of Health, through its arm that distributes drugs, is going to give drugs and equipment to those health facilities. So, that is another area that we have had a lot of success. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, after the Structural Adjustment Programmes that really brought this country very many steps backwards in terms of manpower, for the very fast time after very many years, in the Ministry of Health, we have started employing health workers. The other area that we are proud of is that of transportation. We are now able to transport people from the peripheral health units to the centres using ambulances. I think, as I speak, every district and provincial hospital has a very reliable ambulance for the transportation of patients. There are so many other reforms that we have done in the Ministry of Health. However, I was a little disappointed because His Excellency the President did not mention that. Let me talk about what His Excellency the President mentioned. One of the areas that he talked about is education. I think there is nobody in this country who does not appreciate the great benefits that free primary education has brought in this country. What we are calling for right now - and His Excellency the President touched on it - is the twin issue of free secondary education and employment of more teachers. The President talked about affordable secondary education. My proposition would be that if the Government can allocate Kshs13,000 per student per year towards secondary education--- Why am I proposing Kshs13,000 per student? It is because that is the kind of money that students pay in day secondary schools. So, the bottom line is that, essentially, day secondary school education is going to be free. That is where the majority of our young boys and girls are learning. If that amount of money is allocated, and going by the figure of 1,000,000 secondary school students we have currently in our record, then we are talking about an additional allocation to the Ministry of Education of Kshs13 billion. In my view, that is a modest amount that we can put to the education of our youth. I was glad to hear the President mention that the economic growth rate this year is going to hit the 6 per cent mark. That is good news. The only challenge is that I think the time has come in this country, collectively and individually, for us to work out ways and means of how this vibrant growth that we talk about, can move and benefit the people in the lowest strata of our economy. I would like to see programmes put in place, where we can say that we are sharing in the improved economy with all the Kenyans of this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we hear many of our leaders and those who aspire to be President talk about the majimbo system of governance, sometimes I wonder whether that is the cure of our problems in this country. Is that the cure of inequality or are we just going to transfer and devolve poverty to all through this majimbo system of governance? Are we, in effect, trying to find job opportunities for some leaders in this country, through the majimbo system? I would like somebody to convince me that the cure of the Kenyan problems including poverty, inequality and unfairness that we keep taking about, is the majimbo system of governance. I have not heard that, but I hope I will do so today, because my friend who keeps talking about the majimbo system, is in the House. How do we make sure that the poor and marginalised people living in slums and rural areas can also partake of this impressive economic growth rate? I think the place for us to start is agriculture. I am glad that a few reforms have been made in the agricultural sector, but we need to do more. The time has come when we should start thinking seriously whether this whole concept of liberalisation has been beneficial or more harmful to our farmers in this country, especially the small-scale peasant farmers. We have to start reviving some of the programmes that were good for this country in terms of agriculture. April 3, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 317 Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue that we must start addressing, as a way of tackling poverty, is how to attract investment in the rural areas. What do we need to do, so that anybody who wants to set up a factory does not need to run to Nairobi, but instead we encourage him or her to go to the rural areas? Can we do so by offering them free land and tax incentives or holidays? What is the answer? How do we get people to move away from towns to invest in rural areas? As a consequence, we will unclog our towns that are clogging with humanity. Not everybody who wants a job or livelihood has to move to urban areas. I think those are the important issues. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, finally, I would like to mention the issue of minimum constitutional reforms. I am on record as one of those who support and embrace the spirit of minimum constitutional reforms. I would like to add that I agree with the concept of dual citizenship. But I would like us to go a little further and have independent candidates. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}