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{
    "id": 384076,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/384076/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 83,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Musila is concerned about the penetration level of mobile telephony, I rise to oppose this Motion and oppose very vehemently. I know that the Senator for Kitui means well and I know that he is concerned. I fully appreciate and understand the importance that mobile phones have brought into our country and our economy, but I am opposed to the approach. The Seconder of this Motion, Sen. Wetangula, brought out the merits and demerits of mobile telephony and I do not think that is the argument in this particular Motion. Maybe unknown to both of them, we in the Tenth Parliament passed the Kenya Communication Amendment Act of 2008 which I personally moved on behalf of the Government. I would want to inform the House and the country that among the many provisions in this particular Act, we made a provision for a Universal Service Fund. Mr. Speaker, Sir, what Sen. Musila is proposing is what the Universal Service Fund is supposed to do to fill the gaps. The Universal Service Fund is whereby all the mobile operators, all the internet operators, all the broadcasters; F.M Stations and anybody licensed by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) are supposed to be levied some amount every month to help in filling the gaps and helping the disadvantaged areas or areas that are not well covered by mobile telephony. It is here in the Act and I can refer the Senator to this Act. The reason we came up with the Universal Service Fund is, we knew that we could not leave areas that were not profitable for private companies at the mercy of these private companies to develop infrastructure. Therefore, we came up with this Fund so that areas such as the former North Eastern Province which is a very vast area with a very sparse population can also enjoy the fruits of the mobile telephony technology."
}