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{
    "id": 386430,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/386430/?format=api",
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    "content": "of poverty. He also wants the economy to be more competitive, so that we can create more jobs for our people. He also wants to see improved service delivery across the entire nation. These are very noble objectives and I have no doubt in my mind that the President means well for this country. It will be a great thing if some of those objectives were delivered because it will make a huge change to the lives of our people. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, however, I feel that the Policy Statement was very ambitious because of the kind of experience that we have had before. My worry is: Do we have the will, determination and commitment to implement these noble policies? The President talks about the need to spark an industrial revolution in Kenya. That would be a very welcome thing. However, what we need first is to spark a revolution in the mindsets of those charged with the responsibility of implementing these policies. In my view, we will need a new and different Civil Service to actualize these policies. We will need a civil service with a new culture and work ethic. We need a focused and committed civil service. We will also need Cabinet Secretaries that are focused. I think that they are in the process of appointing good quality Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries who share this vision and ideals. We need implementers who will think about Kenya and are prepared to serve their motherland with commitment and diligence; people who will appreciate that Kenya is not about their tribe and region, but about all Kenyans and all the regions. I really feel that the success of the policies pronounced by President Uhuru Kenyatta will very much depend on not only the capacity, but also the will of those charged with the responsibility of implementing them. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President also rightly pointed out the need to release more funds for development as opposed to the current situation where the bulk of the money available is applied to meet recurrent expenditure needs. He is also concerned about the large public wage bill, which is considered to have reached unsustainable levels. But the most effective way to achieve faster rates of economic growth is to improve efficiency and productivity, particularly in the public sector. Every effort should, therefore, be made to improve efficiency and performance of Ministries, Government departments and more particularly, parastatal agencies. I believe that this is the only way that we could make more funds available for development, if those institutions were to become more efficient. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for many years we have talked about expanding our railway system and improving efficiency at the Port of Mombasa. We have also talked about increasing our power generation capacity, improving productivity in the agricultural sector and introducing a new mass transport system to decongest Nairobi and other urban centres. But we also know that very little, if any, has been done over the years to fulfill these plans and desires. Look at Nairobi today. Nairobi City is today clogged to a standstill because of traffic jams which do not seem to end at all. Commuters are trapped in traffic jams and cannot reach their destinations. Workers cannot reach their workplaces. Delivery of goods and services is hampered and the performance of the economy in general is also severely compromised. For a moment, can we reflect on the 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."
}