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{
    "id": 705404,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/705404/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 97,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Barua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1529,
        "legal_name": "Ejidius Njogu Barua",
        "slug": "ejidius-njogu-barua"
    },
    "content": "care of the youth in terms of making them productive by building their capacities, we shall not make Kenya a great nation. For us to make this country a great nation, we need to focus our attention on the youth by building their capacities and putting in place mechanisms that will enable Kenyans or the nation to exploit their capacities. Exploitation and use of their capacities can be realised to some extent by passing the Motion and putting in place the institutions recommended by this Motion. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I note that the Motion calls for the creation of an innovation fund and a national incubation system. Since my university days when I used to be a leader in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nairobi, we used to have Chemistry Club. Through the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), we used to have exhibitions and fairs to identify innovations among the youth from high schools, secondary schools and universities. It is unfortunate that even after documentation and publication of these documents, the information derived from those initiatives remains on the shelves and has never been disseminated. Lack of dissemination means that the Government has not taken action with regard to the implementation process. It is evident that students and youth in general have skills and innovations that need to be nurtured and made use of. I want to place special attention on the fund which is recommended by this Motion. If you look at the current situation in this country, you will find that we have the Uwezo Fund and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF), which are being accessed by the youth. Unfortunately, these funds do not recognise successful enterprises and innovations that require further support which cannot be offered by the Uwezo Fund. It is for that reason that, as a nation, we should treat Uwezo Fund and the YEDF as funds that can be used as incubation and identification of potential businesses and enterprises that can be used to grow businesses and initiatives further. It is for this reason that I support the proposal that we have this fund which will support the identified enterprises to grow from micro to small; small to medium; and medium to large. From my experience as an entrepreneur scholar, if we can have 5 per cent of Kenyans running successful enterprises, the 5 per cent can support the remaining 95 per cent. If this is done, it will mean that every Kenyan will be in the economic net and web, and we shall get our country moving forward. It is also important to recognise that enterprises started and managed by women also require to be supported. Women sometimes find themselves in situations of negative displacement, where they do not have access to credit although they have good business ideas. I support this Motion. I would like this Motion to be expanded to also include women and persons with disability. Finally, the Kenya Government has started a very good initiative of establishing technical institutions and centres in all constituencies in this country including Gichugu. In these technical institutions, I hope we will have a department of business incubation where the youth can incubate their businesses which they can implement when they get out of school. Unfortunately, at this particular moment, some constituencies like mine are still lagging behind in the establishment of this institution because we still have land issues. I urge county governments to move with speed, and in particular Kirinyaga County Government, to ensure that an appropriate parcel of land is identified as quickly as possible for construction of the technical institute which has been frustrated by the county government for the last two years. With those few remarks, I support the Motion. 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."
}