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{
    "id": 419431,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/419431/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 125,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Tell us, dear brothers and sisters, that you want the railway to be built and how you arrived at the cost. Otherwise, if you do not do that, you will invite all kinds of people to speculate and to fear-monger so that in the end, civil servants are petrified in their offices and cannot move. Even if they know something is correct, but because of what is being said, they get terrified. I have been a Minister and I know this. When characters start speaking without facts and fear-mongering all over the place, then the Government cannot work. The Government on its side does not speak and explain things, it encourages fear-mongering and the nation cannot function. So, on the issue of the standard gauge railway, let this Senate go on record that we want it, but at a cost that we can afford and an explanation that is understandable. At the moment, what is going on is like the Tower of Babel; everything is being said, nobody is listening to the other and somebody is not speaking to somebody. I call upon this particular committee that at least this is one issue they should handle in this particular session. Let this Committee, at least for the sake of the Senate, come out with a report on this standard gauge railway which is sane, well informed and which this Senate can speak about with authority. Otherwise, this Senate is too dignified to join in a discussion which is nothing but the Tower of Babel. Finally, on the issue of petroleum products, it is very important that we have a paper from the Government on the development of the petroleum industry in this country early enough. There is no need going around drilling wells all over the county but a Senate like this which is in charge of the counties does not have a policy paper on petroleum development in this country. If it exists in Government bureaus, let it be made available as a Sessional Paper for the Senate so that we can know what wealth of petroleum or oil exists in our country. As I speak, in my own county, there are allegations that we have oil in Nyakach. These discussions should reach this Senate because these are county matters. So, if the Government can come out with a policy paper on petroleum, they can also, in that policy paper, give us an up to date report on exploration of petroleum in this country. We should know what the policy is in terms of royalties. I know Sen. Zani has a very good committee working on royalties. Let us look into the future so that Kenyans get informed. Let us not run a country on the basis of rumour, speculation and conversations amounting to the Tower of Babel. I beg to support."
}