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{
    "id": 370302,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/370302/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 292,
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    "content": "signed that this country, after a while, has had to regret and we wished we knew. For example, the Rome Statute and others which have been ratified even by this House. I would like to thank hon. Laboso as I support this Motion. I urge that these EPAs should not be signed before proper consideration is given on all the issues that will affect this country. I want to narrow down to the interests of this country. We are proud of our country Kenya. This country has opportunities and can create opportunities for our people in business. We are encouraging local tourism as well as local investors. We must be strategic. I wish to fault our Government on some of the issues of trade. I am looking at creating employment and business opportunities for Kenyans. In reference to RIVATEX, for example, we need to revive our textile industry. I was reading a piece which says that RIVATEX has not won any of the Government tenders and in particular, supply of materials for our Armed Forces, the Kenya Police and the Military. All these materials for the uniforms and towels that are used by our Military are imported. Uganda buys all such materials for her Military from the local industries, but in Kenya, we import these materials. What is Kenya’s strategic interest in terms of creating opportunities? When you import these materials, you create employment opportunities for the people in the countries from where you are importing. In other words, we are failing to create opportunities for our people and creating opportunities for others. That is where I have a problem with the Government. Why should the Government not do business with the local industries, for example, RIVATEX which is currently owned by Moi University, which has all the expertise and the personnel? We have a lot of local materials. We import as opposed to buying from RIVATEX. I appreciate the competitive nature in procurement rules that are in place, but why can we not look at our interests as a country first? Even if there are procurement rules that are supposed to be followed, we must look at our interest as a country. This is where I have a problem. Kenya is a hub in the region. Our airport should be expanded. We appreciate the efforts that are going on to expand the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and put new infrastructure in place, but what are we doing to create opportunities in our local industries? If we want to ensure that we have enough security, please, let us create opportunities for the young people of this country. We have young graduates and middle level trainees who can do this job. Unless, however, we get opportunities for them we might not be able to secure our country and develop our country. Hon. Members have talked about this and I do not need to repeat it. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to emphasize the fact that there is an obvious imbalance of trade between Kenya and European countries. All of us understand why this is the case. We need to promote our business within the region. Let us trade within Kenya, the EAC and Africa as a whole. I want to agree with Dr. Laboso in her Motion that we need to consider all the factors necessary to develop our region. The population of the EAC is above 200 million people. This creates a huge market. It is clear that opportunities can be created within. It is enough for us to do business within the region. Thank you for giving me this chance to express myself. I want to reiterate that we must look at our strategic interests. We must look at the local industries and create opportunities. I beg to support."
}