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{
    "id": 696446,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/696446/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 237,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Oyugi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 444,
        "legal_name": "Augostinho Neto Oyugi",
        "slug": "augostinho-neto-oyugi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I will start from where the Member for Tiaty has left. I think we are moving towards agreeing that the House does form a select committee to look into the matter of KQ. However, having said that, I would like to request my colleagues that there are moments when there are serious international businesses where you do not have to gag political issues to become politically expedient. I know it is good to always talk about Hon. Raila Odinga, but there are moments when we can agree that there are pressing national issues and even if Raila Odinga would be mentioned, at least, not in the manner that colleagues would like to refer to him right now. Hon. Aden Duale raised two things that I want to underscore. First, if at all the select committee would ever be formed, then it ought to look at KQ as being technically insolvent. That is something that we need to look at and give it considerations. Secondly, with regard to conspiracy on the holding, as my honourable colleagues have said, it looks like we got a raw deal in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that KQ entered into with other airlines. We need to look at an MoU that is favourable to KQ and one that gives us pride. Over time, KQ’s services have always been coming down. The cost of air fare is not commensurate to the services we are given. When you compare the in-flight service and even what you call the Business Class in KQ with other airlines, it does not add up. It is not fair for us to constantly pay up prices and not get service that is commensurate to that particular price. One of the things that the select committee ought to investigate is the expansion into various markets. A company that needs to make profits ought to understand why it is venturing into certain markets. However, the sort of expansion and airplanes that KQ is buying indicates that someone is really profiting. You cannot want to have a company or business that ventures into untargeted markets which then become untenable. That is one of the reasons KQ landed where it is. When this Parliament voted for Kshs26 billion for KQ bailout, in my view, that was another scam. We must be honest as Parliament that we failed Kenyans by allocating good money to chase after bad money. The idea of giving Kshs26 billion to a company that ought to have been investigated to finality and agreeing on specific details was quite unfair. Lastly, we need to move with speed, as a House, to ensure that we do that which is possible to ensure that KQ comes back to profitability and, at least gets back to becoming the pride of Africa. We cannot constantly, as Parliament, be whining or making statements that show that we are not in charge. With the hope that there is going to be a select committee, we would wish that it operates within specific and targeted time-frames to deliver on the matter of KQ, so that the airline is brought back where it should be. With that, I support the Motion moved by Hon. Aden Duale."
}