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{
    "id": 576080,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/576080/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 218,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ndiritu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1539,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Mathenge Ndiritu",
        "slug": "samuel-mathenge-ndiritu"
    },
    "content": "On ownership, I have looked at what one needs to run a business. You should have a company incorporated in Kenya and the necessary capital. You need to own or lease land in specific areas, but we are not talking about shareholding of anybody who wants to invest. In places like Dubai, I do not think there is anybody who establishes a business without a local ownership. We do not want the people who are coming in to exploit our people and then walk away with all our resources. In terms of infrastructure, in Clause 32 of the Bill, there is a provision for the development of infrastructure or even the enclosure which is like the security walls. This is an area that we need to work on before we can invite people once a place has been declared a special economic zone. If you look at Upper Hill, which is an upcoming business hub in Nairobi, you will find that infrastructure is following development. Right now, driving in Upper Hill is a headache. If you look at what they are doing, they are not factoring in services such that they will complete a road today and tomorrow, you will find some people digging trenches to lay their cables. It is high time the planners did proper planning in such places such that there are ducts where if you want to lay your cables, you just get a licence and do your cabling. We really have to look at the infrastructure and plan it well because it will be a major attraction to those who want to do business in the Special Economic Zones. We also have local people who have been doing businesses. In particular, there are manufacturers in Kenya who have really been struggling. I have always talked about a company in my constituency which for a long time has been manufacturing agricultural equipment like posho mills. There are some tax rebates for imported agricultural machinery. However, when you manufacture them here, you have to pay all the Value Added Tax (VAT) and all the taxes. It has become very difficult for them to manufacture. They have to take their designs to China so that those goods come from there. They used to employ between 80 and 150 welders and technicians but these days they cannot because it is cheaper to buy an imported item."
}