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{
    "id": 555042,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/555042/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 86,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to support this optional Protocol which falls within the ambit of the provisions of the Constitution in Article 2(5)(6) on how we, as a country, are supposed to sign international treaties and indeed optional protocols. The most significant thing about this is that there is really no treaty. We have an optional Protocol. This is because a protocol is supposed to ensure or give guidelines on how the Treaty itself is supposed to be implemented. We are alive to the fact that we are under the East African Community Treaty, and the countries that are involved are currently either members of the EAC or candidates about to join this Community. This optional Protocol is really significant. To me, it is glue that will stick together the people of the Eastern African region. This is with regard to having a common infrastructure, ensuring that they have something that they can speak to and opening of their own markets and movement of goods, services and people. If you look at the expenditure of the SGR, you will realise that its budgetary allocation for the Financial Year 2015/2016 is, indeed, taking a huge amount of money. The Estimates clearly state that we will spend about Kshs143 billion on the SGR project. This is quite significant. If you look at it in the short-term, you will realise that we are going to spend about Kshs330 billion on this project. This is a very critical input in our economy. The Treasury officials estimate that by virtue of this project, the economy will grow by about 1.5 per cent. If you look at our Gross National Product (GNP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP), you will find that it is about Kshs6 trillion. Therefore, infusion of over Kshs100 billion every year would amount to that. I beg to differ because I do not think the growth of an economy can be that simplistic in that you just look at the inputs. There is the issue on whether we are getting value for money our money. This project is critical and I hope and believe that the partner states will get value for their money. The reason I am saying this is because if you look at the Kenyan 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."
}