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"id": 254118,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Osundwa",
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"legal_name": "Wycliffe William Osundwa",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to comment on the President's Speech, which purported to spell out the Government's agenda. I listened to the Speech and read it but it had no statement on how a farmer in this country would be assisted. Today, many farmers are giving up on farming because the cost of inputs has shot up to the extent that they cannot afford. Since 2003, this Government has not recorded any success in any sector; be it in the parastatal reforms, infrastructure, social policy and conservation of forests. I am sorry to say that there is no evidence on the ground to show that this Government has recorded any success. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Government promised that it will enhance democracy. Democracy is lacking from 2003 to today. Hon. Members have been arrested in court precincts. Where is democracy? Today, there is a lot of evidence on extra-judicial killings. Where is the democracy that was promised to Kenyans? The Government should improve on that aspect. On the parastatal sector reforms, I do not see any evidence of the Government privatizing the parastatals which year in, year out continue to drain the Exchequer. We were promised that Telkom (K), the Postal Corporation, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) would be privatized. The other day, a few politically-correct people bought shares in the KPLC. This is not the way we should privatize our State corporations. On infrastructure, I am sorry to say that the cost of doing business in this country has risen to the extent that many investors are leaving this country for our neighbouring countries because of poor infrastructure. There is no water for our industries and the cost of power has gone up. For example, the power tariff in Kenya today is about 11 US cents and yet in our neighbouring countries like Zambia, it is 3 US cents; Malawi, 3.5 US cents and South Africa, 1.5 US cents. This is the case and yet, most of these countries are supposed to compete with us in the COMESA market. How can we compete with them? If the Government cannot protect our industries, then we cannot call it a Government of the people. I would like to say something on social policy. We expect this Government to move very fast and convert the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) into a pension scheme. This will help tackle the social despondence especially in old age. I do not know why we cannot fast-track Mr. Oloo-Aringo's Bill in this regard so that we can convert the NSSF into a pension scheme. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the agricultural sector, we used to have the GMR insurance scheme. Today, farmers record losses due to drought and low prices offered to their produce, mainly because of competition caused by products from our neighbouring countries. I encourage the Government to reintroduce the GMR insurance scheme. However, to protect the scheme from being abused this time round, I implore the Government to use reputable financial 352 PARLIMENTARY DEBATES April 5, 2006 institutions to administer it. Otherwise, as I have mentioned earlier on, many farmers have given up on farming. We will not have a country which will just act as a supermarket for imported goods. We need to encourage our farmers by giving them good prices, low fertilizer prices and availing tractor hire services that existed some years back and the agricultural sector will improve. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the conservation of our natural resources, the Government needs to vigorously carry out re-afforestation programmes. A lot of trees are being cut, especially in our water catchment areas, yet the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has no personnel. So, we have lost out on this matter because trees are being cut down haphazardly, especially in the Aberdares. Very soon, we are going to see a catastrophe in this country. In this regard, I want to ask the Government to increase funding to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. We also need to repossess all the forest land that was allocated to politically correct people. We need to restore the bio-diversity to save our rivers. Kenya is the only country where individuals have title deeds for land which has rivers. There is nowhere in the world where you will find an individual owning a river. So, I am asking the Ministry of Lands and Housing to repossess all the riparian land for which title deeds have been issued."
}