HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 695411,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/695411/?format=api",
"text_counter": 97,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Katoo",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 199,
"legal_name": "Judah Katoo Ole-Metito",
"slug": "judah-ole-metito"
},
"content": "This is an important Motion for the economy of this country. One of the global challenges that we are facing right now in our country is the high rate of unemployment. Many Kenyan youth leave institutions of higher learning, but unfortunately, the job market cannot absorb the numbers that graduate every year. The few that are absorbed, a majority of them are absorbed by the sector we are discussing, namely, the private sector. As the Mover has said, about four million jobs are at stake if we, as a House, do not ratify this Agreement. A sector that creates four million jobs needs to be protected at all cost. If we do not protect it by ratifying this Agreement, it will be very difficult to expand the sector. The products in this sector will become uncompetitive because of high tariffs or taxes of up to 22 per cent that are going to be imposed and this will make our products very expensive in the market. That will have a net loss in our employment sector. In terms of particular firms that are in this group, there are about 200 Kenyan firms that are at stake because of this Agreement not being ratified in due time. The time is very short, which is 1st October and it is about 10 days to go. We cannot, as a House, let 200 Kenyan firms be declared redundant or folded up because of an error that might not be of their own making. Therefore, I plead with this House to save the four million jobs that are at stake and the 200 plus Kenyan firms that serve this market by ratifying this Agreement. The Mover of the Motion talked of Kshs200 billion coming out of this sector, but I would like to say that in 2015, there was about Kshs581 billion worth of Kenya’s export. Out of that, about 32 per cent are exports to the EU market. Therefore, a market that provides 32 per cent of our export needs to be looked into. We should not lose that opportunity by not ratifying this Agreement. I do not have to repeat the kinds of products in this market because they have been mentioned. It is good to just highlight that horticultural produce, flower, tea, fresh vegetables, coffee and fish are the main products in this market. We should protect them so that they are not penalised as they are taken to that market. If we let taxes of up to 22 per cent to be imposed, the traders will have no option other than to raise their prices in order to break even. By so doing, they will lose in the market. Let me briefly talk about the East African Community (EAC). It is good that the House is informed, as the Mover mentioned, that our bargaining power lies in negotiating as a region, and the region is EAC. The EAC/EU Export Preferential Agreement needs to be implemented and ratified by all the EAC countries as a bloc. They always say synergy in numbers brings strength. I think we should not have isolated discussions in terms of each country negotiating on its own, though it might become a necessity of last resort. There is need to bring all EAC countries together in all sectors, be it business, political or social. It is good that we all move together in the same direction. If we negotiate and ratify this Agreement as a regional bloc, we will have a predictable and uniform trade scheme for all the EAC member states that respects their Customs Union and preserves the duty-free, quota-free access to the EU market. We should not be allowed as the EAC to encourage the culture of divide and rule. If we are divided as EA countries then we try to negotiate individually, I think we are going to lose big. In unity there is strength. I want to first of all appreciate the effort of Rwanda, our good neighbour, because they have ratified this Agreement. Also, the Republic of Uganda has shown very strong indication that they are going to ratify it. I wish to call upon our good neighbours Tanzania and Burundi, and particularly Tanzania because I border them. A lot of the produce from my constituency goes 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."
}