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"speaker_name": "Hon. (Prof.) Nyikal",
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"content": "Hon Speaker, I will not say much about education because we have really put a lot of emphasis on it in the Budget. On agriculture, I will not also say much. On infrastructure, in the last Coalition Government, this was the most important progress that we saw and, therefore, it is important that we continue with infrastructure. This Budget has done that. On the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), I cannot understand how, for many years, we would have a judicial system without public prosecutions. That is because I do not see what the Judiciary would do without a strong public prosecution department. Land, in my mind, is the greatest source of conflict in this country. It is not really ethnicity. I do not think it is even political. But the underlying factor is the way land is used and allocated and, therefore, putting more money there is important. On social protection, this is something that is dear to me. A nation should look after its orphans and vulnerable children, elderly persons and persons with disability. That is how it should be and to put more money there is appropriate. I cannot forget how, when I started this programme about three years ago, I was only given - as the Permanent Secretary (PS) - Kshs4 million for the elderly persons. We have got billions and that is commendable. It is even commendable that, apart from just giving them the stipends to support them, in this Budget, we are putting money so that those elderly persons can get National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) cards. That is because when we give them that stipend, we look after their health. On health, we allowed the increase in the Budget. In fact, the Budget Policy Paper gave Kshs37 billion and now, it has gone up to Kshs47 billion. I am really proud of that because it was work that was well done. The free maternity care and child health has been done well. On research, we have put money, for the first time, in research in health. In areas like pyrethrum, we have put money there, so that as we can prevent Malaria. We can use our own products, so that the funds can go back to the farmers. Tobacco Control Board (TCB) has got money for the first time. That is the same to HIV Tribunal and Blood Transfusion. Those are areas that, in the past, have either been neglected or they have been funded by foreign money. We cannot take such areas of public importance to donors. Finally, I want to talk about the leasing of equipment in the Ministry of Health. As you have seen in this Report, the Committee has indicated that there is need to actually get cost benefit analysis of this. To put Kshs3 billion every year for 10 years as a lease, I am not convinced that, that is really appropriate. That amounts to Kshs3 million The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}