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{
    "id": 399229,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/399229/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 343,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, 50 years down the line, the generation capacity has grown to 82,000 mega watts. Over the same period, we learn, from this report that the GDP per capita rose from US$82 to some staggering US$24,000. In other words, the percapita income multiplied 290 tonnes. This is, indeed, staggering; a very phenomenal development. The Kenyan delegation was told how the people of Korea made such rapid achievements within a short period of time. The story of the Republic of South Korea is a story about a country which focused its attention on the right priorities. The priority was provision of affordable and reliable energy. That was the strategy. The affordable and reliable energy translated itself to cheap electricity and, in turn, this spurred the growth of the economy and helped in the social transformation by attracting the much needed investments. Kenya, on the other hand, despite the heavy investments we made in the energy sector over the years has the capacity to generate only 1,500 megawatts today, largely from hydro sources and geothermal sources which, as we heard from the Chairman, are expensive sources. Geothermal sources are beginning to make a contribution now. Our generation capacity is grossly inadequate and cannot support the country to become a middle level industrial economy in the foreseeable future. If we genuinely believe in achieving the Vision 2030 goals that we have set for ourselves, we must, first and foremost, become self sufficient in power supply. This is a prerequisite. We also note that due to the insufficient power generation capacity, the tariffs for electricity are high and, indeed, prohibitive. They are not conducive to attract the kind of investments we would want. Therefore, the economy is down and the well being of people is adversely affected because we cannot achieve the social transformation that we desire if people, including those who are already connected to the national grid, cannot afford electricity. The social transformation we desire and the quality of life we want to see our people enjoy cannot, indeed, be achieved. With me here is a monthly electricity bill that was sent to an average middle income family comprising of six people. This bill includes a fixed charge, at a certain level. It also includes the cost of consumption during that period of one month. The bill includes fuel charge at a certain level. There is also an expense that caters for foreign exchange adjustment and another adjustment for inflation. This is all charged to this middle income family in Kenya. There is also a levy for the Electricity Regulation Commission (ERC) and a further levy for the Rural Electrification Programme (REP) and another one of 16 per cent. All these additions are loaded to the monthly bill of this family. A family which should have paid a bill of Kshs5,000 ends up paying Kshs14,000 for one month. The question is, even if we wanted to provide electricity to every family in this Republic, how many Kenyans would afford to pay electricity bills of about Kshs14,000 per month? That is why I am saying that high electricity tariffs will not permit us to make any economic development. We will not also help our people to enjoy a better quality of life. I felt that it was necessary to illustrate the negative impact that high"
}