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{
    "id": 695389,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/695389/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 75,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ochieng",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2955,
        "legal_name": "David Ouma Ochieng'",
        "slug": "david-ouma-ochieng"
    },
    "content": "Thank you so much, Hon. Speaker. I rise to support this very important Motion because countries do not do trade. It is the citizens and companies that are in countries that do trade. The role of the Government is to facilitate by making sure that the environment that exists in the country enables traders to do business without any hindrances. Where cross- border trade is concerned, the role of the Government is to ensure that we enter into agreements that are beneficial to the citizens, companies and manufacturers. Therefore, apart from meeting a very important legal obligation, the Motion before us today seeks to ensure that our businesses have a better and fair shot as they approach their counterparts in the EU. That is why I want to support this very important Motion. Hon. Speaker, the Mover and the Seconder have talked of the importance of having this agreement ratified urgently, but the urgency is not whether to ratify or not. The urgency is in whether the Kenya Government and the traders in this country are prepared to take advantage of the opportunities we are creating by signing this EPA. I am happy that in negotiating this agreement, something that I participated in from 2006 to the time I came to Parliament, the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Cooperatives took into account the requirements and demands of this Assembly that a couple of things be met before this Agreement is signed. I congratulate the Ministry, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) and the Principal Secretary (PS) concerned for moving very fast to ensure that the concerns of this Assembly are taken into account as we do this. I want to allay the fears that we have left Tanzania. The reason we are negotiating as the East African Community (EAC) is that EAC has something called the Common External Tariff that requires us, as EAC member states, to approach the rest of the world as a unit of five countries. So, even as we approve this agreement today, we shall only be ratifying it to show the world that the EAC is one and that we are willing to be flexible to enable those who are moving faster to move faster as we give a chance to those who are moving slowly to catch up later. Like Tanzania has chosen to move slowly and catch up later. Our ratifying of the agreement today does not undermine in any way the capacity and ability of Tanzania to come on board later, nor does it undermine our integration agenda within the EAC. 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."
}