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"speaker_name": "Mr. Bifwoli",
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"legal_name": "Sylvester Wakoli Bifwoli",
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am in order! I can prove here that the so-called projects in Bumula are not there on the ground. They are only on paper! I can volunteer to take him around the constituency to witness for himself that there are no projects on the ground. There is no electricity in Mateka. It is on paper! Am I going to go by what is in the records of the Ministry or what is on the ground? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to state very clearly that the other poison in the Budget is the Sugar Development Levy (SDL). Previously, those who imported sugar were being taxed. I have heard from hon. Members that some of the Ministers are involved in the importation of sugar. That is why they are transferring the SDL from the consumers to the farmers. Which means that they want our sugar-cane to be more expensive as they import their sugar free of charge. The Minister should rescind that decision and instead tax those who import sugar. Surely, how do you import sugar and, instead of encouraging our farmers, you tax them? Some of us who come from Nyanza, Western Province and parts of Rift Valley grow sugar-cane. We are part of this Government, yet they want to tax us because some of them import sugar. We will oppose that move. If they want me to support them, they should stop taxing sugar-cane farmers and pass on that tax to the consumers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the economy has improved and I cannot not see why the Government cannot pay teachers the agreed salaries. The Minister removed the road licence which costs about Kshs10,000 for big vehicles and transferred the levy to the common mwananchi, including my mother or grandmother, who will never own a car. She will now be required to pay tax when going for a funeral. Right now, it is the commuter who is paying that tax. If my mother, grandmother or aunt is sick and is taken to hospital, they pay road licence in the name of Fuel Levy. Is this Government really mindful of the welfare of the poor? Is this Budget supporting the poor? How can this country develop with such punitive taxation measures? Despite the fact that there are some good things like setting up the Youth Enterprise Fund (YEF), these are some of the promises we are yet to see whether they will be implemented. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me turn to the use of Government vehicles by Ministers and senior public officials. The Minister told us that a Minister is supposed to have only one vehicle at his disposal. Does this mean that some Ministers were using more than one vehicle? How were they travelling in two vehicles at the same time? This is strange! I thought that each Minister was supposed to have one car. Why were they given seven cars, as hon. Khaniri said? What are they doing with all these vehicles? When they were appointed Ministers, were their wives and children also appointed Ministers so that they could get free vehicles? This is strange! I must congratulate the Minister for Finance for coming up with that policy of one man, one car. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of hon. Members paying tax, under the Trade Unions Act, you cannot reduce the salary of a worker under normal circumstances. I never negotiated for my salary and allowances. I joined this Parliament recently, and as I can remember, since I was born, the salaries and allowances of hon. Members have never been taxed. The Minister for June 27, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1625 Finance is asking the House to appoint a committee to look into the regulations which precluded hon. Members from paying tax on their allowances and pass a law to tax them. Does he expect me to support this proposal? I never negotiated for my salary and allowances! I want to state openly and honestly that the people of Bumula will support me, because I use the same money to build classrooms. So far, I have built 14 classrooms with my own salary and not the CDF money. If the Government wants to tax me, how will I help my people to build more classrooms for our children? With those few remarks, I will only support the Motion subject to the conditions I have mentioned."
}