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{
    "id": 555080,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/555080/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 124,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mbui",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1750,
        "legal_name": "Robert Mbui",
        "slug": "robert-mbui"
    },
    "content": "Common Market Protocol, we get advantages as a country. One of the obvious advantages is a larger market for our Kenyan products and the free movement of goods, services and people, which has a direct bearing on the economy of this country. I support this understanding that it is going to be good for this country and Kenyans from all walks of life are going to benefit from the ratification of this Protocol. As we talk about this, we need to realise that we cannot ignore the coalition of the willing. We know that Kenya is in direct competition with Tanzania for port services. They have their own services and when ours develops, we will be taking away the market from them and they would also like to benefit from the same market. As we deal with these issues, we need to look at that competition and figure out a way through which we can come up with an amicable solution to this. It is going to continue if it is not dealt with. Much as I support this Protocol, I also have a concern. This Protocol is on an integration project. In this House, we have a committee which handles issues of regional integration but this was handled by the Departmental Committee on Transport, Public Works and Housing. Which protocols will be given to the Committee on Regional Integration and which ones will be given to all the other committees? The Committee on Regional Integration recently dealt with the Protocol on Peace and Security which is basically a protocol of integration. We need to address this issue and be careful that we use the committees of the House for the purpose for which they were meant. This is an incredible project. It has obvious advantages as I have said. One of the other direct advantages is that it reduces the time by which goods are moved. It will also help us to reduce the rates. There is also the obvious advantage of reduction in damage of roads, which has been a major problem because the Government spends too much money on the highways and these highways are constantly destroyed by the heavy loads that are carried on the roads. It is a way forward. It is an advantage to this country. We also have to be careful. When this project started, it was marred with allegations of corruption. We all know that the war on ignorance, poverty and disease is affected very seriously in this country by the issues of corruption. I propose that as we start these projects of integration, because we have this one and we also have the one of Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET), we be careful that the procurement laws of this country are followed to the letter. With those few remarks, I thank you for the opportunity and I support."
}