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"id": 235662,
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"speaker_name": "Dr. Ojiambo",
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"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Julia Auma Ojiambo",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to take this opportunity to thank the hon. Members who have contributed to this Motion. I appreciate the very deep sentiments they have raised. I want to assure them that we have taken note of the very important issues they have raised. Those issues will form part of our continued discussion on this very important subject. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is clear from the contributions of hon. Members that there is need to deliberate, design development and implement a system that will help, rather than hinder, pro-poor economic development for this country. Prior to bringing the Motion to this House, we had interrogated the many speeches and policy papers that have been presented in this House on this issue. We looked at the programmes that are in place for the poor, youth and women, and we felt that there are still some gaps which need to be filled. Through this Motion, we aim to introduce an investment culture in Kenya. We want to integrate the poor into economic activities. We want to release their aspirations and energy into the development activities of this country, in addition to what they are doing and what is in plan. For that purpose, we have looked at the current Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth Creation and Employment Policy. We have also looked at the Finance Act, 2003, whose theme is wealth and investment creation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also looked at what players in the informal sector are doing, particularly the Jua Kali artisans, the cottage industry players, hawkers, mama mbogas, and many others to whom reference was made this morning. We know that those people have a right to these possessions, because those are their economic activities and possessions. We also 3488 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES November 8, 2006 know, and have discovered, that even their possessions have not been adequately documented. So, the Kenyans who participate in these activities cannot use their assets well enough to convert them into capital for their continued economic empowerment. Therefore, it is important that we treat this Motion as a deliberate effort to introduce affirmative action to this activity. It is critical to address the issue of legal and regulatory framework, and access to finance by people in ASAL areas and other poor populations. It is important that these people access funds. We should, therefore, put the whole picture together and find a proper legal framework within which they can access the funds necessary for them to apply for their economic development. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are looking for a structure that will embrace the people's aspirations and bring whole communities into action. The structure we have in mind will be based on mobilisation of the communities and encouraging them to not only use their efforts, but also learn how to work with the resources they will raise, and pay back what they will borrow from the fund we intend to put in place. As Mr. Biwot rightly said, through this effort, we intend to put together a fund to which communities will be party, so that they can manage it in their own stride, contribute to it and borrow from it. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we hope that the Government will support this initiative, having spent a lot of money in other areas supporting efforts that have failed to take off. With those remarks, I beg to move."
}