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{
    "id": 252750,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/252750/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 260,
        "legal_name": "Billow Adan Kerrow",
        "slug": "billow-kerrow"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I apologise for that. We are unable to account for our resources because money is being misappropriated in this country. It becomes very difficult for us, therefore, to understand whether this Government appreciates priorities, which are contained in the Economic Recovery Strategy Paper (ERSP). When it comes to the issue of priorities, I would like to give another example. I accept the Kshs8.6 billion that is being voted in the Recurrent Expenditure for the Office of the President because Kshs6.3 billion is for purposes of purchase of relief food. However, if this Government is ready to spend Kshs6.3 billion in the next three months to provide relief food, how much is this Government ready to spend in that part of the world called northern Kenya, to develop infrastructure? How much is this Government ready to invest in the North Eastern Province to provide water and other facilities so that those people do not have to depend on relief food? Why must we receive Kshs20 billion annually for purposes of famine relief when we are not allowed to spend even Kshs1 billion to invest in irrigation in our areas, to provide abattoirs for our livestock and to construct our roads? This shows the problem of lack of priorities by this Government. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the same Government is removing Kshs630 million, April 20, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 617 which had been voted by this House for rural health services. This is for purchase of materials and supplies for rural health services. They are also removing Kshs122 million for building of health centres and dispensaries. We are eliminating over Kshs1 billion that had been set aside for training of public servants for capacity building in various Ministries. We are also removing Kshs503 million for supplies for control of communicable diseases at a time when there is an outbreak of all manner of diseases in this country. Is this Government serious? We are providing an additional Kshs418 million to the Minister for Information and Communications so that he can allow Dr. Alfred Mutua to create offices in Ministries for purposes of propaganda. Are the priorities of this Government right? It is becoming very difficult for us to understand what is going on. We were told a short while ago by the Minister for Planning and National Development that the Ministry of Water and Irrigation has done a wonderful job. They have sunk boreholes in areas affected by drought. In the Supplementary Estimates, from the additional Kshs20 billion being sought, only Kshs283 million is being provided to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. This is quite unfortunate because Kshs418 million is being set aside for the office of Dr. Alfred Mutua for propaganda purposes. Where are our priorities? Tomorrow, our animals and people will die for lack of food and water, and then we will rush requesting for famine relief. We need to invest. We can only invest in infrastructure, water, energy and roads. We should put our priorities right. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Minister has said the economy is performing very well and that we are on track. Unless the Minister is sleeping, it seems he does not know what he is talking about. The economy of this country is not currently doing very well. As a result of the drought, inflation grew from 7 per cent in December last year, to 20 per cent this month. They know what is happening in the tea and coffee sectors. How do they expect the economy to grow in the circumstances which we are in today? We should not live beyond our means. The only money we were getting for development, money that we were spending on roads, energy and water was largely coming from---"
}