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{
    "id": 661430,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/661430/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 319,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gichigi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1909,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Kamunye Gichigi",
        "slug": "samuel-kamunye-gichigi"
    },
    "content": "situation like that of a poor person who has borrowed to buy a car. When the car has just been delivered and it is not being used, the poor man goes on to borrow again to buy another car. Any person who has followed up the story of debts in this country understands where we are and how much each person in this country owes in terms of domestic and external debts. If this money was being borrowed for priority projects like roads, it would be okay. While we completely understand that the expansion of the Port of Mombasa is not bad, it is going to be a white elephant. We will use many more billions to maintain it as it lies idle for many years. My colleague has indicated what is happening. As we speak, there is a bigger and better terminal that is not being used. Secondly, we are investing too much in the SGR so that we can move goods from the Port faster. It means we will not need another terminal or storage facilities for cargo because cargo will be moving to the interior faster. Thirdly, we were hoping that the fuel from Uganda and goods from Rwanda would be using the Port of Mombasa. Indications are that it will not happen. The reasons that made us to think that this is a good project are no longer there. We are saying “no”. As I wind up, any person who has done a little research on maritime commerce in this country knows that the priority investment by this country is not a second terminal at the Port of Mombasa. It is in coming up with a ship of this country. We have to look for ships outside the country for our students who are learning maritime skills. They have to go to countries like Singapore for attachments. Even for the goods that this country or Government imports, we have to keep using ships from other countries. If you look at the ocean fishing industry, we do not have a fishing port in this country. Other countries send their trawlers to our coast. They fish and put the fish in cold storage facilities in ships and move away. This country also requires a berth to accommodate luxury cruise ships. It is not this sort of thing that we are trying to invest in. I have engaged members of the Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade. Most of them are opposed to this borrowing but they are afraid to say so. We oppose."
}