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{
    "id": 671853,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/671853/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 363,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatangi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 646,
        "legal_name": "Paul Kimani Wamatangi",
        "slug": "paul-kimani-wamatangi"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I thank my colleagues for supporting this Amendment Bill. It has come out clearly that the amendment to the Act will have far reaching ramifications as to how we view this important sector that is, indeed, the foundation upon which our economy vibrates. As my colleagues said, it has been an act of absolute ignorance of our country to blindly ignore an important part of our economy, population and the nation. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, livestock traders trek for five or six days to find their way to the market. They are sometimes befallen by calamities before they get to the markets. Sometimes, they lose their livestock. What recourse do they have? To whom do they go to complain their investment is lost? To whom do the boda boda riders of this country ever go to when they are involved in accident or have lost their tools of trade? What happens to hawkers when their wares are impounded and confiscated by authorities? Such people form the bulk of our population. Where are our morals when we sit in county assemblies to pass laws requiring that those traders pay for access to sell their wares in markets or streets? What have we done in return to warrant us to ask those people to contribute to our economy? How would a country of an economy of our size ignore that millions of people do not have to go to the Government to show them what to do. They take it upon themselves to decide what to do irrespective of the risks. How blind have we been? Right now, we should be changing the economy of this country. The requirement that we have to keep injecting cash into the economy without realizing that all we need to go is to empower those that are down and then raise them to a high level. With a vibrant middle class, this country would move forward to become a great economy where we can pride ourselves to have grown our economy. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I thank all my colleagues for the support that they have given this Bill. I hope that after we have passed this legislation, the young men and women of this country can proudly and confidently find their way into market places, streets and other areas of trade and enterprise where they can feel that they belong. They will have a place where they can go to. Even though the big wigs go to trade on the revolving chairs in the tenth floor of shielded buildings, even the small trades who have just the sky as their roof can also feel that they are Kenyans and have a place to trade because they are recognized. I believe that this spirit is echoed. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I thank my colleagues for supporting this Bill. The hawkers, fishmongers, artisans, boda boda riders, matatu drivers, vegetable vendors, skin and hides dealers and everybody else who has been previously ignored because the size 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"
}