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"id": 254842,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Ojaamong",
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"id": 196,
"legal_name": "Sospeter Odeke Ojaamongson",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. Having listened to the President and having gone through his Speech, there is no doubt that he meant well for Kenyans. There is no doubt that he had a very good agenda for Kenyans. However, the problem arises in the implementation of whatever he put across. The NARC administration inherited a very corrupt Civil Service. These civil servants are the ones who are supposed to implement the agenda of the President as laid out in His Speech. Recently, we have had a lot of problems in the implementation of programmes. If you look at how agricultural and education officers and road engineers behave in various districts, you will find that it does not make any difference between the NARC Government and the previous regime. As much as the President meant well in His agenda, there is need to transform our Civil Service, so that civil servants also mean well to the common Kenyan, otherwise, it will be an exercise in futility for the President to create a Ministry of Youth and so many others. I appreciated when the President talked about revitalising the cotton industry. He said that the Government was going to re-introduce the Cotton Bill 2005 and also bring some Sessional Papers to the House. In Teso District, we grow cotton as a cash crop. That is the only cash crop that we have. This was very good news to my people when they heard from the President's Speech that his Government was going to revitalise the cotton industry. April 4, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 317 First, I must thank the Government. Last year, Kshs300 million was given to the cotton sector, but it is regretful that I cannot understand how that amount was utilised to date. I have farmers in the area who have not even benefitted from this Kshs300 million. It is my hope that in this year's Budget, more money will be put into the cotton industry, so that the collapsed ginneries in western Kenya are made to start operating. Farmers should get some credit from the money that will be allocated through the Budget. The Government should also assist farmers in marketing their produce; cotton, which does very well in western Kenya. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to remind the President, and I hope his Ministers will remind him, about his tour to Western Province which took place between 15th and 18th April, 2004. There were a number of issues which were raised by leaders of western Kenya concerning the problems afflicting the people of western Kenya, and His Excellency the President through his Ministers and members of the Provincial Administration, promised to address them. I have a copy of a letter that was written by the Provincial Commissioner admitting that the issues raised during the President's tour of Western Province in 2004 were going to be sorted out by the President. To date, as we speak, very little has been done. As a good friend, I have to remind the President that he owes the people of Western Province a lot. Let not a section of a few people from one clan mislead him that because he has given them Cabinet, ambassadorial or Permanent Secretaries' positions, that they will catapult him back to power. That will be a very big lie. We are starting to re-align ourselves in Western Province and if our wishes are not taken care of, it will translate into a negative vote for him. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President talked about the new Constitution. Indeed, it has taken a good portion of our time. However, as a man from a one-constituency district, at times I am ashamed because when I call my Parliamentary Group meeting for the district, I am the convenor and the secretary. So I have to take notes. I would appeal that we expedite the process of writing the new Constitution. If we cannot write a new Constitution, we should amend some sections of the current Constitution before we go to the next General Election. We should amend Section 42(2) of our Constitution which limits the number of constituencies to 210 so that, at least, the people of Teso can have two representatives in this Parliament. I say this because I am totally disadvantaged together with the other hon. Members, like Mr. Serut and the hon. Member for Kuria, Dr. Machage. We are totally disadvantaged in terms of representation of our people. I foresee that we shall not write a new Constitution in good time. Therefore, Parliament, and the President in particular, should provide leadership so that we can make the necessary constitutional amendments to cater for marginalised communities like the Teso, Kuria and Sabaot. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will not forget to mention that it is only in the Kibaki Government whereby the Tesos have been left out of the Government. In fact, the most senior civil servant in the Kibaki Government from the Teso community must be a District Commissioner. From a brilliant community like this one with very educated people, it is very unfortunate that out of all the 42 tribes in Kenya, it is only the Teso community that the President has excluded both from the Civil Service and from any other appointments. Whatever the reason, I will leave it to his own conscience. However, we shall appreciate any economic development that the President will initiate to assist the majority of the people in my constituency. Finally, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to say that despite all these shortcomings on the part of the Government and His Excellency the President, indeed, there are some positive developments that have taken place in Teso. Through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology, I have been able to put up quite a number of schools. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, through the Ministry of Education, I have put up quite a number of schools. At least, five schools are currently being constructed in my constituency. That 318 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 4, 2006 has never happened before. We have done quite a number of roads. Compared to the previous Government, we have got a very good road network now. Despite the delays in the purchase of electricity poles, power is being connected to a number of centres. I am sure many more centres will be connected to electricity. The district hospital, which for quite a long time has remained incomplete, is now being constructed. Those are some of the positive things that this Government is doing. However, it is my submission that the President can do better. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}