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{
    "id": 576024,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/576024/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 162,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Omulele",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2145,
        "legal_name": "Christopher Omulele",
        "slug": "christopher-omulele"
    },
    "content": "through Luanda. One of the things that we have been really anxious to do is to have a declaration by the Government, so that the railway reservation at the Luanda Railway Station can be allocated to the people of Luanda. If that is done, they can develop it into a special economic zone, so that this area, which has been lying fallow from 1901, can be utilised for the benefit of the people. What we have done is that we have secured this piece of land. This proposed law today is on all fronts going to actualise our dreams as the people of Luanda. Therefore, I wholeheartedly support this proposed piece of legislation in that it is really going to transform our nation along with the law we made on devolution, which moved resources to the counties. This is now going to enable the people in the counties and in different areas to come up and say “We have these special resources and needs in our area and we would like to use them in this special way.” For example, the people in Turkana today will be able to sit down and say that they would like to develop a special economic area in Turkana, which is going to, probably, deal with manufacture of cement. They will be able to do it because this law enables them to do so. It enables them to do that by provisions which are very clear. When you look at this law at Clause 35, it exempts the activities that will be undertaken at these special economic zones from taxation. I would like to quickly look at that. It says that all licensed special economic zone enterprises developers and operators shall be granted exemption from all existing taxes and duties payable under the Customs and Excise Act, Income Tax Act, East African Community Customs Management Act, Value Added Tax Act and all special economic zone transactions. This is a beautiful one. It is will actually enable all Kenyans from wherever they come to develop their areas, use resources and special circumstances found in those areas to enable them do something which will benefit them. Apart from exempting these enterprises from these kinds of taxes that I have just read out, this law also proposes that all the things that are going to be taken into these areas will be considered to be export. When they will be going to these areas, they will not be subjected to the activities that the Kenya Revenue Authority all the time engages in and uses them to harass people. As much as there will be a proper officer seconded to these special areas by the Kenya Revenue Authority, he will be under the control of the Authority that we are developing under this Act. I am happy because as much as we have been saying that we should not develop so many statutory bodies and authorities which are more or less a drain on the national purse, this is a case where we are on the right track. I think we have an obligation to our people to develop and allow this authority to see the light of day, so that our people in the different enclaves can do things that are going to be beneficial to them. The products that we will develop from these special economic areas will be considered to be exports in the rest of the country. The law in Clause 6 says that goods which are taken out from any part of the customs territory and brought into the special economic zone or services shall be deemed to have been exported from Kenya. Clause 6(b) says that goods which are brought out of a special economic zone and taken into any part of the customs territory for use therein or services provided from a special economic zone to any part of the customs territory shall be deemed to be imported into Kenya. This will earn the owners of this special economic zone income. This is what this country is all about. In my view, this is a law that all the Members of Parliament should support wholeheartedly, and as fast as possible ensure that it becomes law, so that our people can enjoy the real fruits of true devolution. I consider it the second most important step in devolution. I am pleased with this law and I wholeheartedly support it. 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."
}