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{
    "id": 238039,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/238039/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 185,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Sungu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 324,
        "legal_name": "Gor Eric Sungu",
        "slug": "gor-sungu"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Motion, which I 3114 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 25, 2006 believe is very important for this country. It is a Motion whose time has come. I want to congratulate the hon. Member for bringing this Motion to the Floor of the House. The trade sector is of utmost importance to the economy of this country. It is imperative that we look at it properly. One only needs to look at what is happening elsewhere in the world and realise that something is amiss in Kenya because we do not give trade issues the importance they deserve. When you look at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the issues that concern them and how the rest of the world takes it with importance, the issues that come to the fore with regard to globalization are extremely important. External trade for Kenya lacks an institutional and legal framework to operate. Look at the opportunities that are going begging. For example, look at the external trade agreements like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that was passed by the United States of America (USA) Congress sometime back. Who are the actual beneficiaries of that Act? The US Government passed that Act to give opportunities to African countries to expand their economies and trade with USA at favourable terms. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you go to the Export Processing Zones (EPZs), you will find that only foreigners are the sole beneficiaries of AGOA. With that comes the question of mistreatment of our local labour force. You will find traders from foreign countries like Sri Lanka, India and other Asian countries mistreating our workers. When the NARC Government came to power, workers at several EPZs went on strike in 2003 because of mistreatment by foreign employers, who are taking opportunities that actually belong to Kenyans. Such things happen because we lack an institutional and legal framework within which such trade issues could be tackled, so that our people can take advantage. Those foreign traders even import cheap and unqualified labour, and yet there are many Kenyans who are qualified to do a lot of work in this country. In fact, we have a brain-drain because of lack of employment opportunities. We lack the capacity to employ our people who have been properly educated. A lot of money has been spent on them. The Ministry of Education budget takes almost half of the Budget of this country. All those who have been educated here have to go elsewhere because we lack employment opportunities. We allow foreigners to come here, employ our people, underpay them, mistreat them and get away with it. That cannot happen if there is a proper legal framework. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in support of this Motion, I would like to look at the question of internal trade within our borders. In this country, some companies are now dominating the economy. They are monopolies. We need a monopolies commission. If you find a manufacturer who is also a distributor, that should be illegal. There is no legal framework to guide that important area. Therefore, I strongly urge this House to support this Motion so that we could move forward as a country, create employment to our people and protect them. That way, we could be proud that we are protecting our people and giving them opportunities. With those few words, I beg to support."
}