Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 607157,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/607157/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I have come from the private corporate sector where issues of budgeting and laying out strategy are given prominence. When I look at this Budget Policy Statement, probably it is because it is merely a statement. It is fairly docile and it is not as aggressive and as bold as I would have anticipated it to be. I have come from outside there and there is a lot of hope in the public that Vison 2030, or something similar to it, will still be realised in this country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when I look at the projected growth rates in the Budget Policy Statement, we are looking at Kshs5.3 per cent in 2014, projected to grow at 6.9 per cent in 2015 and 7 per cent thereafter. Of course, the magic that we are going to deploy to grow that aggressively has not come out very clearly in this Statement. I hope that with time, that will be quite clear. More specifically, I have looked at the Budget Policy Statement and looking at the second pillar on Agricultural Transformation and Food Security, there is the issue of value addition on agricultural products which has not really been given prominence. In as much as this is an overview, I would have expected that value addition would be given prominence. We must go beyond the issue of providing fertilizer and seed because they are the primary inputs. We need to focus on the product and how we can add value to it, so that our farmers can get more out of it. More specifically, the cotton industry in Nyanza and, more specifically Homa Bay County, is an issue that we need to look at so that we provide the necessary incentives, have ginneries and a value system that can make farmers get back to cotton farming. On the Budget Policy Statement, there is a section that talks about empowerment of the youth and women for employment creation. It indicates that tenders worth Kshs1.4 billion have been awarded to youth and women enterprises. It will be interesting to know what percentage of the total pie that Kshs1.4 billion makes. We have previously stated that 30 per cent of the tenders should be reserved for women and youth. At Kshs1.4 billion, I am not convinced that we have scratched the surface as far as providing preferential access to tender for youth and women apply. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in terms of transport and logistics, we still do not see a lot of mention on lake transport. We have addressed everything to do with air transport, Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport corridor (LAPSET) and the Port of Mombasa. However, we seem to have historically decided to forget about lake transport in Lake Victoria, yet, this is something that can spur a lot of growth and support trade within the East African Community. I wish to take advantage of this opportunity to make my first speech in this House, just to extend my gratitude to a number of people who have contributed to my being in this House today. I convey my gratitude to the people of Homa Bay for overwhelmingly giving me the mandate to represent them as their Senator. I wish to convey my gratitude to my party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), that they showed confidence in the youth. My nomination was a confirmation that this Coalition pays a lot of attention to the youth and the demographic The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}