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{
    "id": 575969,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/575969/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 107,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "realities in our country, as a people, the idea behind the Companies Bill should be to enable as many Kenyans as possible to own enterprises. It does not look like a logical process when we are trying to provide an enabling environment for as many Kenyans as possible to own enterprises, yet we seem to be doing very little to protect the existing businesses. Each one of us in this House has their own sets of beliefs and everyone in this House is coming from a background. We must be concerned with some of the things we are seeing. I have said before on the Floor of this House that I do not partake of alcohol and cigarette, but I respect the fact that cigarette makers and alcohol manufacturers are people who have been given the latitude in this country to operate. For instance, I speak of a lady I truly respect for her enterprising spirit, Tabitha Karanja; she has blazed a trail, dared the multinational giants with her company, Keroche Breweries. As a country, is it right to see what is happening at Keroche Industries? We are here legislating to create a broader environment for businesses to operate, yet the same Government which is trying to give a broader environment to Kenyans to open businesses is killing the same businesses. At the end of the day, if Kenyans who own enterprises cannot thrive and are not given an enabling environment to thrive, then all these exercises we are engaging in seem to be exercises in futility. I want to believe that, in addition to expanding and giving latitude to many more people to own enterprises, we have a duty, as a country, not only to recognize but to protect those enterprises which have taken a lot of sweat and blood to build, particularly when we pick on the current theme where we want to empower as many women businesses as possible. In spite of the fact that I do not take alcohol, I personally think what is happening to Keroche Industries is not right. What is happening in Keroche Industries at the moment negates the spirit of the legislations we are creating. The Government must relook at the entire regime. Even if it is a question of taxation, what is this kind of taxation regime that basically kills enterprises that are employing thousands of Kenyans and lifting Kenyans out of poverty? It is not the right way to go. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we have just concluded the debate on Insolvency Bill. The actions being taken against Keroche Industries--- This is just one example and we also saw the fight on second generation alcohol. Some of the industries were licensed by this Government. The Government may be doing the right thing, but when you are doing the right thing in a worrying way, how are you helping? We cannot attack an illegal process by supposedly throwing laws out of the window. This is because even that aspect of addressing a problem outside the confines of the law becomes an illegality. I want to believe that the passage of the Companies Bill, the Insolvency Bill and the Companies and Insolvency Bill legislation is a good step in the right direction; it will give the latitude that Kenyans need to own enterprises. The wealth of country should as much as possible be in the hands of the people of Kenya. As we do that, we cannot at the same time be seen to be taking actions that are reversing the processes that we intend to protect. It is contradictory and unacceptable."
}