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{
    "id": 424003,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/424003/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 67,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Anyang’-Nyong’o",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 193,
        "legal_name": "Peter Anyang' Nyong'o",
        "slug": "peter-nyongo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I apologise that I came in after the Mover had moved the Motion. However, I managed to read the Report. I concur with my colleagues that this is a very informative Report. However, I have a few issues to raise with the Report. One, the Report gives a good description of what the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is doing and also points out a few problems faced by the GDC which is commendable. They have also made several recommendations on what should be done. I would have been very happy to see in the Report, discussions between the Committee and the GDC on why certain things happened the way they did. Why has the Government not invested in the GDC? The resource necessary to attract investments - almost in every site of sinking wells for geothermal, the statement recurs every now and again – that this could not be done because so much money that is needed for investment has not been advanced. Obviously, when the GDC was being set up as a state company with the express task of developing geothermal, the state should have known that it costs something to develop it. Secondly, it is pennywise and pound foolish to pay manpower in the GDC and not give them tools to do their work. Once they have tools to do their work, you will have set up the infrastructure in the various sites that geothermal will have been identified. Taking our Senators there and saying that they have identified Suswa, and Menengai and that after all these years you have not found money to build the infrastructure, there must be some reasons. Does the Government require time probably two, three, four or five years during which to do the infrastructure? If so, the Senate Committee should be told that if this money is not forthcoming for investments, during a particular period, it will come so that it makes sense for geothermal generation. Secondly, this is referred to, now and again and so much is needed to attract donor investments. The word “donor” means that you give money and you do not expect anything in return. I think in the business of geothermal, we do not have crystal donors but crystal investors. Geothermal is a very attractive investment as long as the Government undertakes its counterpart responsibility; first because there is a ready market. The Kenya Power and Lighting Company and the Kenya Pipeline Corporation have already said that once the energy is available, they will buy it. I am glad that energy generation, transmission and sale, all those three aspects of energy have been carefully demarcated in our system. We have the bit that generates, the bit that transmits and the bit that undertakes the transmission. The Report also says, very sincerely--- I must commend them because energy consumption in this country is very taxing, both to consumers and to the investors to the extent that since energy costs so much we do not provide a good incentive for investors to come to Kenya. Other than come here to invest, they could have gone to Botswana or 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."
}