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{
    "id": 292089,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/292089/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 714,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Githae",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Finance",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 159,
        "legal_name": "Robinson Njeru Githae",
        "slug": "robinson-githae"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Madam. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Let me take this opportunity to, first, thank the Chairman of the Budget Committee, the Vice-Chairman and all the Members for their hard work. It is surprising that after I tabled my estimates, they were able, in less than two weeks, to complete this momentous job. They even went round the country seeking views from Kenyans and receiving the views of all the Ministries that had not received an allocation from the Treasury. They met all the parastatals and all the departments. They have done a wonderful job, which means that they must have burnt the midnight oil. For that, we shall be forever grateful. The other thing I would like to say is that contrary to what had been reported in the newspapers that the budget of all the security organs had been reduced, from the Report, this is not true. I do not know where the media got that information. When I met the Committee Members, I told them that our priorities in order of importance were, one, external security because even if we build all the roads and schools, if Kenya as a sovereign state does not exist, then we would not have achieved much. That is why it was important that the Kenya Defence Forces are given adequate funds so that they can be able to protect this country. This country has never been attacked by any other country because they know that if they try, they will be defeated and for that, we are grateful. We are also grateful that our Defence Forces are in our neighbouring country – Somalia - basically to protect the sovereignty and the territorial sovereignty of this country. For that, we are grateful. All the expenses so far that our Defence Forces have spent in Somalia have been met by the Kenyan Government. This is because it is only last week that a formal agreement was signed between the Kenya Defence Forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISON). In my view, this is money well spent because since the forces went there, piracy has gone down and in fact, it is high time that the shipping lines reduced the piracy surcharge which they had imposed. Concerning our internal security, again, the budget of the police has not been reduced contrary to what was reported, and more so, the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS). Since this is an election year, the NSIS needs to recruit people to be able to map spot areas. They also need people to know what is really happening on the ground. I am pleased with the NSIS because they are working in cooperation with the presidential candidates. They are advising presidential candidates that when they go to certain areas, these are the things they need to take care to observe their security. So, that cooperation is important. We now know that - in fact, I can report it here that--- Since this is a secretive agency, it does not go round saying what they have achieved, but I can"
}