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{
    "id": 671756,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/671756/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 266,
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    "content": "informal economy in the developing countries would cease once they achieve sufficient levels of economic growth. However, this has not been the case. The informal economy can no longer be considered as a temporary situation. In countries where the informal economy is recognized and supported, one will realize that their economies do better. The informal sectors require the necessary Government support and other institutions will be willing to help them transit from informal to formal businesses. If Kenya desires to achieve a middle income status by 2030, an enabling environment for the growth of this sector which contributes almost 40 per cent to our country’s GDP has to be provided. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I ask that this Bill be debated in this House. This Bill serves to benefit thousands of Kenyans, especially in the urban areas where we have major challenges in crime and lack of employment. There is also lack of employment and challenges in facilitating alternative methods of employment for the youth. It is important that we recognise that we have left a very important sector for the growth of this country and the economy on its own. For example, most of the funds which the Government has provided in the earlier instances; I would like to single out the Youth Fund or most Biashara Funds which are being started by counties. The reason the effect of most of these funds is hardly realised after such funds have been instituted is lack of a system through which these funds can reach the people who are doing business. Therefore, if there is a structured way where Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can be formally recognised and beneficiaries accounted for, then this country would change. We would not need to worry anymore about a growing batch of young people graduating from college. It is no longer news to find that in the job market probably more than half of the people who are “tarmacking” are graduates. We have been constantly telling our young people that we want them to go to school, get educated and get a college degree. However, if you look at the job opportunities that are available in this country; if we promise all our young people that what you get is a blue or white collar job, then we will be leading our young people to a situation where they will be disillusioned. As a representative of the people of Kiambu County, I have thousands of job applications in my office of graduates who are expecting to be employed. However, there are examples of young entrepreneurs who do not expect to be employed. For example, the other day, a young man from Kajiado County hit the headlines by being innovative. He created a lighting system and started to market it. Within a short while, neighbours were calling him to connect light at their gates. The community is excited that there is a new entrepreneur in the community. Within no time, this young man can move his small business from the cubicle into a small informal factory. He becomes an employer. As I referred to earlier, another very good example is China. I visited China. I tried to find out how is it that, for example, you find very young people in their earlier twenties in a factory. They export goods worth thousands of dollars. The Government of China was sensitive enough to realise that if they organise their informal industry with their young people and put them in pools that they call cottage industries according to the strength of that area and availability of resources, they build resources. 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"
}