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{
    "id": 616908,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/616908/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 225,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Okoth",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12482,
        "legal_name": "Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth",
        "slug": "kenneth-odhiambo-okoth"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I am glad that technology and your graceful Chair have “caught my eye or my eye has caught yours.” I rise to support this Bill. It is very important in the new constitutional dispensation that we have here in Kenya. Parliament represents the sovereign voice and power of the people. When you look at the issues that are raised here, it is not only this Bill that we are working about, but there is an existing Treaty Ratification Act upon which Kenya enters into agreements and international obligations which the Committee on Implementation in this House must follow beyond the annual presidential reports on the status of our international obligations and how those are being implemented by the different ministries and agencies. When we talk about natural resources and the wealth of this country, I have always argued that the biggest resource and asset of this country is our human raw resource-base and potential in our young people. Can we educate them appropriately and empower them to engage in business but also in the conservation of our environment? Also, can we engage them to participate in the governance of this country so that they do not give up and tune off the issues of governance? Can we engage them to also be empowered to participate in the exploitation in a manner that our natural resources, including our wildlife, our water and our forests, will be sustained for years and generations to come? I still believe the youth and the young people of this country, when given the platform, can do a great job. This law is the first step in that direction. As a Member from Nairobi County, this Bill could not be timelier. When you look at the classes of transactions subject to ratification in this Bill, we are talking about resources such as crude oil and natural gas which in many parts of Africa, have been called the resource curse. Countries such as Nigeria have over 50 years been producing and exporting oil and yet, their own energy and consumption needs at home are not reliably, effectively and cheaply met for their own people . It is a curse. There are conflicts that we have seen in many other countries over minerals whether it is diamond, gold, titanium or uranium. There is a lot of potential in this country. Let us think about that. 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."
}