Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 679940,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/679940/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 597,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ababu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. These kinds of bilateral air service agreements are really crucial in terms of expanding our reach as a country, opening opportunities for our business people, expanding our commercial interests and providing opportunities for our national carrier. Therefore, I want to support it. This is coming hot on the heels of the progress this country is making towards having direct flights to the American market. This is a fantastic opportunity. We are located in a region that has placed us in a very precarious position because of the challenges of international terrorism and limited safety in our air space. So, to see jurisdictions like Vietnam and Liberia reaching out and accepting to enter into partnerships of this kind is something to be applauded. I want to applaud the Government for pursuing this line of development, and the Committee for ensuring that this comes to the House for consideration. For us to maximize benefit from this kind of opportunity, we really must make sure that our national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ), is in a state, commercially and otherwise, that can enable us to take maximum advantage of this. I want to hope that the challenges that the national carrier has suffered in recent times can provide some kind of impetus for us to improve it and urge everybody: “Let us take pride in KQ”. Even if KQ is facing challenges, we know that in the last decade or so, the airline industry has suffered greatly. Our airline has not been left unscathed by those challenges. However, let us also make a commitment that the management of KQ will be improved. Those that have the responsibility to manage the affairs of this airline can make it better and competitive. It is amazing that the cost of flying KQ is quite exorbitant compared to regional rivals like Ethiopian Airlines. You do not really understand why flying KQ is much more expensive compared to its rivals within this region. We support this kind of progress. I want to hope that the Government will also actualise the opportunity for direct flights between Kenya and the United States of America. We want to be able to fly directly to Dallas International Airport in Texas and Miami International Airport and just take full advantage of that opportunity. But we want to do this confident that our 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."
}