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{
    "id": 386285,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/386285/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 114,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Persons (IDPs) is one that the previous Government promised to deal with before the elections. The President talked about the country generating 1,500 megawatts and compared it with Argentina which produces 24,000 megawatts. What is the difference between Argentina and Kenya? We may have a country generating 24,000 megawatts but if we do not have investment in factories, the 24,000 megawatts will be useless. Therefore, a good environment for investors must be established so that investors both locally and internationally can come and develop factories so that as the generation is increased from 1,500 to about 20,000 megawatts like our brothers in South Africa or Nigeria, they will have access to power. The areas the President mentioned are wind power, solar, hydro- power, geothermal and coal power. Most of these sections have not been developed. Where I come from, as my colleague from Bomet had said, we have rivers which are now causing havoc to our brothers in the lower region of Nyanza. There is River Sondu where there is a plant which produces about 60 megawatts of electricity. This was the first phase and the second phase was to be built in the highlands of Kericho where dams were supposed to be constructed. That project has not started. I think it would be of great importance to have dams constructed so that generation of electricity and irrigation can be done. The President mentioned irrigating about 1,000 hectares of land. We can achieve that and also create employment. The energy sector is very crucial but the terms of investing in hydro-power are punitive. The taxes must be lowered so that even the local investors can develop a small system of mini-hydro power of about two megawatts which can be used in a county just the way we have multinational companies in Kericho like Finlay and Unilever. Each of them has about seven heavy duty factories but they generate their power using small rivers where they generate up to two megawatts. We can adopt this system and even have communities, be it the youths, women or men, involved. This will greatly improve the economy of this country. If we achieve this, we will not be talking about a huge wage bill because we can be able to generate revenue. So, I hope the new Minister for Finance will come up with rules and regulations so that some of the taxes which are governing this area can be improved. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the second issue which my colleagues have talked about is the issue of laptops. Some are saying it is a good idea, some are against it while some are saying that this is not the right time. I want to say this is the time. This is the time in the sense that for some of us who represented constituencies like Belgut which has about 120 primary schools - When I joined Parliament, there were few primary schools and most of them are now in good condition, thanks to the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). We used CDF to build these schools and they now have electricity. Therefore, the issue of laptops is very crucial. It will cut down on the cost. The President mentioned that within the framework of 100 days, we need to establish a curriculum so that some curriculum developers from the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) and other publishers, can come up with a programme that we can use so that they are not dummy laptops. Students will not be carrying books but laptops which are solar powered. The energy sector is very crucial to the IDPs are were living in makeshift tents which are not there now. They do not have food and are being rained on. So, as we start the work of this 11th Parliament, I want to call upon the leadership and, indeed, all of us The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}