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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, finally, you have given me this opportunity in my rightful role as a Back-bencher. I am glad to utilise this opportunity and comment on the Presidential Address. As a Back-bencher, I will be excited to be contributing in this House. I wonder why it took us up to March 2006 to reopen Parliament while we had crises. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also wonder why we cannot separate the powers of the Executive from those of this House. It is important that we decide on our calendar so that we plan our own agenda and when to return to conduct business of this House. Regarding the issue of Bills and the blame that we had performed poorly last year, I thought the Government should have taken responsibility. Most of those hon. Members nominated to the House Business Committee belonged to the Government and they should have brought Bills to this House appropriately. Hon. Muturi has said that apart from some Bills not being brought here, some of them were rejected by His Excellency the President. Seven Bills going through, out of 25, is poor performance. We also did not consider returning to this House early this year to conduct House business. I wondered when I saw the list of Bills. I am also glad that hon. Muturi presented the Bills here. It is only the Cotton Bill which was printed, but the rest were not in that list. 126 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 28, 2006 Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wondered what happened to the Coconut Bill, the Mnazi Bill, the Minerals Bill that concerns the Titanium and other minerals of this country. Those are the natural resources of this country. I believe the failure to approve more Bills in this country squarely lies on the Government side. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is tension that was created five months ago by the referendum and division of this country. However, it is a pity that we cannot reconcile. I wondered if we will continue with the same spirit. I saw the intolerance in the composition of the House Business Committee and wondered if we will continue being one-sided. How can we collaborate together in the Departmental and Sessional Committees? This House belongs to us all, as Kenyans. It does not belong to one side. I think it is important to consider that. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is good to be impressive and show the figure of 5 per cent economic growth. But I want to say that the economic growth was felt in the elite sectors of this country. The young, women, poor and the physically challenged did not benefit from the growth. We have seen the swelling groups of people in the slum areas. Who is addressing those issues? Sometimes I ask myself: \"What is wrong with us as Kenyans?\" Kenyans are hard-working people. They like to contribute and participate in issues when given a chance. However, there are very many obstacles on the way. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, businessmen are perceived to be old thieves because a few of them collude with the Government to steal. Businessmen are not facilitated. They are always obstructed from contributing and playing their rightful role as private citizens, to this economy. Most of their problems are key to the detriment of this economy. The Government should be a facilitator and not an obstacle to development. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when I see the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) behaving as if it is the only arm of Government that can do anything and everything with impunity, I wonder. The usage of Electronic Cash Registers was stopped by the courts, and yet as recently as yesterday, KRA officers went round business premises to arrest people who did not have them, demanding cash fines of Kshs500,000 and ignoring the court ruling. What is KRA doing? Who is KRA? It does not respect the law. The KRA has become an intimidator and harasser of the business community. Its officers walk into business premises intimidating business people on issues regarding VAT and PAYE. Every week, KRA officials walk into business premises harassing the owners, and it is proud to say that it has raised its target of tax collection. Is that a way of creating an atmosphere of doing business in this country? Business people are the main contributors to this economy. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the key issue is the Port of Mombasa. The Port of Mombasa is an asset that we cannot joke around with. Today, as we speak, the clearing long room of the Mombasa Port has been transferred to Nairobi. Is that a conspiracy to kill the economy of Mombasa and that of Coast Province? Why can we not create a free port that can create more jobs and expand the economy? Why can we not intervene and solve the tea auctions problem in Mombasa that has allowed Dubai to compete with our economy? The conspiracies are being carried out by this Government, and particularly the KRA. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we talked about the youth issues here, I wondered when I would lead this country. This country remains one of the nations with old leaders for the old people. The minority domineer the young majority. I wonder if we will give a chance to the 72 per cent of our population, who are the youth, to lead this country. \"No!\" By forming the Ministry of Youth Affairs, we thought that the youth had found employment. But that is not the case. I am the one who approved the National Youth Policy Sessional Paper in 2003. Why does it take too long for it to be implemented? Sessional Papers will be brought here. However, everything that will be passed may take another two years to be implemented. Tomorrow will never come for the youth of March 28, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 127 this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when I look at the situation currently, I commend the Minister for Local Government for upgrading towns to become cities. But we should do that in a constitutional manner. Why can he not bring an amendment in the Constitution to bring devolution to the people of Kenya? Change the Constitution! Agree and have amendments. That is not proper management of our towns and cities in our region. We need a proper way of doing it. I wonder if bringing the Local Government Bill is the solution to the mismanagement in our cities and towns. I do not think so. I think if we empower our people properly, give them the right resources and put the legal framework in place the way we had passed it in Bomas, that may be the good way to do it."
}