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{
    "id": 36135,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/36135/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 258,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Chanzu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 11,
        "legal_name": "Yusuf Kifuma Chanzu",
        "slug": "yusuf-chanzu"
    },
    "content": "The people who have been charged with the responsibility of taking care of the Kenyans in this case, the Government, they are not people-welfare oriented. I think we have to start by having the right people; that is people who care about the welfare of Kenyans in these Ministries. I do not know what criteria we will use now that we have got a new Constitution in selecting the people. We do not know whether whoever will be President will choose people who can have the welfare of Kenyans at heart first. If you look at Kenya Power, when they say that they want to ration power in the industrial sector, I do not know whether you know what this will mean. Rationing power in the productive sectors of the economy; an economy like ours--- So, I think we really need to have some controls in all this, particularly this sector because fuel means everything. A slight increase in the price of fuel even by a shilling or by 50 cents alone has got a very big spiral effect. The prices of fares in matatus go up. The price of everything goes up. The prices of commodities go up. Our boarding schools buy foodstuffs. The fees keep on fluctuating because of this. In the drought prone areas, when the prices are so high, even making a contribution becomes a problem. The Government must come in because of the unscrupulous businessmen we have in our midst. We have talked about cartels in the fuel sector. I do not think the Government is doing much to take care of this. What is happening is that a few companies come up and they are able to control and determine the prices. That is the reason why I support this Motion; that the Government should urgently subsidize prices of all categories of petroleum fuel to maintain pump prices at a maximum of Kshs80 a litre. In terms of the economies of scale, if the Government was to do that, it would generate a lot of activities. Even those who are involved in some small businesses here and there would be able to afford to live comfortably. This will create employment rather than putting this in the hands of those who can afford. The Government has been negligent and has not taken care of its citizens. It shows no interest in what happens to its citizens. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are a sugar producing country and the best we can do is to let the sugar companies to collapse, so that we can allow a few people who want to enrich themselves to import sugar. They import this sugar at very low prices, but because they have already caused an artificial demand, the prices definitely go up. I heard of a case where there was some kind of connivance between some big companies and the sugar companies to hold supplies just for a few hours. If they were to hold for a day, the following day, when people come, they look around and there is no sugar. The third day the price goes up and before you check to find out what is happening, they have already made their money even if the price comes back to normal. They will have already made their kill. The people get into a lot of problems. There is even discrimination in resource allocation. There must be a uniform subsidy to cover everybody. We put funds in some sectors where we do not need the money right now. For instance, we are not at war. We have put a lot of money into the NSIS which is unnecessary. That money should be used to cushion the poor Kenyans. There is a lot that needs to be done. I would like to urge my colleagues in this House to support this Motion so that we can cushion Kenyans who are suffering. The School Feeding Programe has collapsed. We have seen on television what is happening in the drought stricken areas and the Government is doing nothing. I am watching a situation"
}