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{
    "id": 663224,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/663224/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 205,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I am aware that at some point we were importing power from our neighbours. I am not sure up to what extent Kenya is self-sufficient in terms of energy. This is also a source of income for our neighbours. We take pride in the dams that we create like the Masinga Dam and others. We must assess whether or not this is one of those avenues that this country and the Government must put a lot of emphasis in terms of ensuring that we can get cheap energy. I insist that we had the Agrarian Revolution and now we have the revolution of energy. Energy can be available to do the simplest of things. If this country must achieve Vision 2030 in terms of industry – that is where we lack – we are soon rather than later, because of the cost of energy, going to import everything. We will import toothpastes, tooth brushes, clothes, the water we drink, beds and bedsheets that we sleep on and everything. This is because the cost of doing business in this country is too high and we must say so. A Bill like this that does not provide cushioning for industries in terms of energy so that they are able to generate income and, therefore, have tax holidays, will not be in the best interest of this Republic. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Kitui County takes pride in the coal deposits. Those deposits have not been exploited for various reasons. Partly is because of corruption, disagreements and misunderstandings between various players in the sector. However, the bottom line is that Kitui County is one of those counties that are recognised under the policy of marginalization by the Commission on Revenue Allocation as one that should benefit from the Equalization Fund because it is marginalized. Yet, one of those items that Kitui County must get as a marginalized county or area as defined in Article 204 is energy, and yet it has possibly the largest deposits of coal. Strictly speaking, Kitui County ought to generate income, but first, generate power for themselves and then export to neighbouring counties like Makueni, where half of it shuts down when the sun goes down. It is now 50 years after Independence, there are people who still think that switching on electricity is a miracle in the Bible. If we exploit the proposals in this Bill and activate the fund that is particularly put here for rural electrification and help counties in terms of electricity generation ---If there was one particular section of the functions of county governments where we should allow counties to enter into public-private partnerships, it is the function of distributing or providing energy to our people. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Fifth Schedule has a very interesting Clause – distribution of functions between national and county governments, as an extension of Section 250. I must say that for the first time – that is why I am saying that we have come a long way as Parliament – we have legislated that both national and county governments must have an energy policy plan. Therefore, county governments should be advised that when they do the next County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs), this law requires that they will have a plan on how they can generate electricity. In the Fifth Schedule, Section 250 of this Bill, we have provided a nice way of how counties and the national Government must work together. This is because if there is one of those things that the national Government ought to cede ground in terms of providing capacity, formula and resource, it is the function of energy. Therefore, I am happy to support this Bill. I think that the Committee should expedite the Bill so that it 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"
}