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    "id": 453,
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    "content": "several factors. Some of the factors which were applicable then, have since changed. In fact, this report has highlighted some of those things. I would like to touch on one or two of those reasons which should convince the Members why we need to do a fresh survey as a matter of urgency. Based on what they estimated to be the caveats, drawbacks or the errors that this estimation could have, in simple terms, we talk about poverty index without knowing what it is. It is just the proportion of those who are considered to be poor versus the total population in a particular area, in this case, the constituency which will be the basis for allocation of resources. At that time, a person from the rural area would be considered to be poor if he would be spending Kshs2,331 per month. In the urban areas, one would be considered to be poor if one would be spending Kshs6,673 per month or less. Apart from what hon. Otichilo has said, one of the reasons as to why we cannot rely on these figures is that there are issues of population migration. It was assumed that over the years, there would be no migration. People move from one area to another. We know that in the last few years, there have been a lot of changes in our population structure, particularly after the post-election violence. Some people moved from one area and are now concentrated in other areas. That has completely changed the population dynamics in such areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, where I come from, there has been eviction from the Mau Forest. The eviction has not improved the situation because the people who were in the Mau Forest used to produce food. Now they do not produce food any more. That means the data has changed. The other factor that affects the purchasing power of our people is inflation. I do not know what the price of petrol was in 2005, but I am sure that it was something like Kshs70 per litre. It is now Kshs124 per litre. That also affects the purchasing power of our people. Therefore, these should be enough reasons for us to demand that we go for a fresh survey to determine the poverty index, which is very important. Most hon. Members might have noticed that if we were to share our Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) money without using our own allocation criteria, each constituency would get Kshs57 million; that is if the funds were to be shared equally. However, if you factor in the poverty indices of our constituencies, you find a constituency getting Kshs70 million and another one getting over Kshs50 million. In other constituencies, like mine, where estimations appear to suggest that we are becoming richer, we have got just a small addition from the Kshs57 million to Kshs70 million. Therefore, I want to support my colleague in saying that it is so critical that we have proper statistics to guide the various organs that allocate resources in this country to ensure that whatever resources we allocate from the Equalization Fund, the CDF and other Funds are allocated using the correct statistics. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I conclude, I want to emphasize that we want a credible statistics bureau. Every time there is a Minister from a particular area heading the Ministry responsible for the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), you see the figures changing and appearing to favour the area from which the Minister comes. This raises concern. It would appear that the KNBS is not independent, and that it is not professional in the way it does its work. Therefore, I want to urge the House and the Committee that deals with matters to do with the KNBS to put in place mechanisms"
}