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{
    "id": 573982,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/573982/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 111,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Korir",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1356,
        "legal_name": "Wesley Kipchumba Korir",
        "slug": "wesley-kipchumba-korir"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the companies that I am talking about are not local. When I say “local”, it does not mean Nairobi local. I am talking about the Kenyan companies that are run and owned by Kenyans. They do not have an option of going to the USA or China to borrow money from the Chinese banks and come to do business in Kenya. That is what I am talking about. I am not talking about the local Nairobi or other places. My issue is that we need to protect those companies otherwise we will be having companies from overseas doing even the small jobs that our own companies can do. Recently, we had issues when we had companies like the ones that are building roads at Tassia I Project. That report came to our Committee. As we sat there looking at the way the companies were bidding, the top five companies which were the lowest bidders were all Chinese companies. The next Kenyan company was fifth or sixth because the Chinese companies have the opportunity of borrowing money at the lowest interest rate. They have an opportunity of importing their own things from China which they use here. When I look at this Bill and the amendments that the Committee is proposing, I do not see anywhere that really shouts out to me that we need to protect our companies so that as we grow as an economy, we do not go to China and borrow money from them and then we come and give the Chinese companies jobs. So, we pay back the money we borrow from China with interest and then the same money goes back to China through the Chinese construction companies. That is my fear that we need to look into as we continue with this Bill. Otherwise, I do not want to talk much but I want to rest my case there. I support this Bill. Thank you."
}