Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 36167,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/36167/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 290,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kigen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 44,
        "legal_name": "Luka Kipkorir Kigen",
        "slug": "luka-kigen"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I would like to start by thanking hon. Langat for this timely Motion which seeks to address the plight of consumers and manufacturers in the short term. If you look at what is happening in our market, for example, in the production of food, you will see that we are unable to farm in the acreage that we used to farm due to the cost of production. The cost of production has been impacted negatively by the cost of fuel. In particular, the cost of diesel is one element which has made it difficult for farmers to go to their farms and produce sufficient food to feed this country. Even those living in arable land cannot do it. This Motion seeks to have the Government assist by bearing part of those costs through provisions of subsidies. I want to say that unless there is a short term measure, the country may rely on supporting other economies by way of importing food, for example, to feed its own people and yet, it is possible for us to provide subsidies. Looking at what the Motion seeks to achieve, it is asking the Government to set aside 3.5 per cent of its resources to subsidize the costs of fuel in terms of farming and industrial products that go into the market. Many products that we sell now, which are manufactured locally, are so highly priced because those who are producing them must recover the cost of production. So, I think this country requires some short-term measures to awaken the Government to think of ways of providing a more affordable source of fuel. If we have to get it straightaway from NOCK, then so be it. This is because, if, for example, we have to get the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK), then so be it. We are not talking about who is supposed to supply. We are looking at the consumer. The consumer is already incapacitated because of these high prices, and we are asking the Government to subsidize in the meantime as long term solutions are worked out. One such long term solution is through initiatives. For example, we have seen the Government form a company, the Geothermal Development Corporation (GDC). The GDC is already producing power, which is much cheaper than what is in the market now and we need to put more money into it. One of the explanations they have given us IS that in 2013/2014, they will have produced so much energy that we will go into industrialisation. It will reduce the cost of power by about 58 per cent. But before we get there, some measures need to be found to assist the farmers, manufactures and consumers to access the basic service that is now very difficult to access because of the cost of fuel in particular."
}