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{
    "id": 393749,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/393749/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 160,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "You will remember what happened when we started the Export Processing Zones (EPZ). The whole thought about the EPZ area was to create a tax free and low cost manufacturing zone whereby the textile industries would have been supported. However, those who came into the EPZ immediately saw a cash cow they could milk. So, apart from manufacturing the garments here, they immediately set up shop here and embarked on duty free importing. They would manufacture all their goods in the EPZ tax free and immediately export them to other countries. We all know what happened under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) agreement with the United States of America. African states had an opportunity to export garments to the US at a subsidised cost. When our people set up shops at the EPZ, they took advantage of an opportunity that we should have taken advantage of. We should have moved into the EPZs, manufacture the garments, sent them out or to the US at subsidised cost and be the beneficiaries. So, a farmer in China and factories in China became the beneficiaries of that opportunity under this Republic. For the sake of being an up to date nation and trading under the current parameters of trade, we can still remain a free market economy. However, it should not be at the expense of our people. We can balance the two. This nation can import the products that we do not have the capacity to manufacture. In fact, for items like clothing which we can not only manufacture by sewing, but also grow the cotton is something we should produce. Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo has effectively said that one of the most prohibitive roadblocks that inhibit growth of industries in Kenya, particularly the textile industry, is the cost of energy. Recently the ad hoc Committee on Legislation on Royalties Accruing from Natural Resources in the counties headed by Sen.(Dr.) Zani visited the Rift Valley. We visited the Geothermal Development Company (GDC). We were shocked to see the kind of potential that this country has, but it is going to waste in terms of useful and clean energy that can be used to substitute these costs. We found that the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has dug wells. When we visited one of them, the Chairperson of our Committee asked: “What is happening to all this steam that is just flowing up and getting lost?” We also asked the head of that team: “How much of the Kenyan taxpayers’ money have you put into this project?” He told us that they had spent about Kshs2 billion. They have already dug wells that are ready. The only thing that the Government would need to do now is to connect that geothermal energy that is there to the national grid and then we will have cheap and sustainable energy. That would support our industry, if we take serious steps in ensuring that energy costs are lowered. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have for a long time had a problem because of unaccustomed goods coming into this country. The textile industry is not alone in this. The controls at the ports of entry into this country must be manned to make sure that there is a level playing field for everybody who is involved, especially in manufacturing industry. Manufacturers of all textile products in this country would, especially require to be shielded from those who have not only the capability, but also the capacity to dodge the laid down tariffs. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as I support my friend, Sen.(Prof.) Lonyangapuo, the number of young people in this country who are seeking to benefit from the jobs that 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."
}