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{
    "id": 393747,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/393747/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 158,
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    "content": "There is no country that can have any meaningful sustainable development if it does not grow its industries. The world is abound with examples of how countries have made legendary improvements and laid a foundation for the well being of their people by investing in industries. Let me use an example of China. Long before, China was not a global giant in the economy. China intentionally decided to bring down the cost of manufacturing in their country to be the lowest in the world by supporting all the industries and by subsidising the cost of manufacturing. The entire world then decided that the only place they would go to manufacture goods, at a reasonable cost and still trade in the global market and make a profit was China. So, every known industry in the world, from the biggest names, moved to China with the idea and thought that when they put up the factories there, they would produce goods and sell to the world at a reasonable cost. After that happened, China changed its strategy. The technology had been transferred to them and after they got the knowhow, they owned all the industries and started manufacturing and exporting goods at a lower cost to the whole world. That is why today, China is becoming the new global power that will, for a long time, rule this world as the economic super power. If we are to reverse that scenario, then we need to look at ourselves here in Kenya, see what we have done for ourselves and for our people. Our story is the reverse. Sen.(Prof.) Lonyangapuo, in his Motion, has asked that we urge the Government to procure textiles and leather products locally. The leather industry in Kenya is in a pathetic situation. The finest leather in this world comes from Kenya. However, what are we doing with our leather industry? When leather is produced here in Kenya, it is semi- tanned and exported to Italy. After it lands in Italy, it is processed into fine leather. Every fine leather producer or manufacturer in Kenya re-imports that leather back to Kenya to move the industry forward. That is how the industry has died. Sen.(Prof.) Lonyangapuo has done a good job in enlisting all the stories that we know or have heard right from 1970s during the fame of Rift Valley Textiles (RIVATEX) and in my own county of Kiambu, Spin-Knit, Alphanet and another one that used to manufacture towels. All these factories in the Republic have been major employers. However, we should go further and ask ourselves about the spiral effect of the closures of these factories. I remember long before when we used to have a vibrant cotton belt in this country in Nyanza where our farmers would plant their cotton and employ people in their farms. We had a vibrant ginnery in Kenya but all that was closed. We should take a step further and ask, at the job level, what we have done for ourselves. We literally import every single garment that is worn in this Republic by the people of Kenya. However, what is more shameful is that the Government, which is supposed to be a protector of industries and investments, is the number one breaker of these rules. Every single uniform worn by our military, police and any other department that is uniformed in our Government is purchased by people who are given contracts and immediately rush to China. They contract Chinese labourers and manufacturers to sew the uniforms and then bring them here as finished products. I can support my case. 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."
}