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{
    "id": 729929,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/729929/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 198,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Bunyasi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2511,
        "legal_name": "John Sakwa Bunyasi",
        "slug": "john-sakwa-bunyasi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. When we moved the ceiling from Kshs1.3 trillion to Kshs2.5 trillion, we doubled it to an increase of nearly 100 per cent as opposed to not more than 50 per cent as had been the case before. We have gone all the way to over Kshs.3 trillion and the National Treasury request for this has been cursory and casual. This is a very serious offence and I am surprised that this has not been condemned. We need to move together as Parliament in the management of debt which is a double-edged sword. We have reached those high numbers projected by the World Bank to be used very carefully that you can go as much as 74 per cent of debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We are at those ranges, looking at the Budget implications of servicing those debts where there is direct conflict with management of public health services, basic education services and many others. This is not an area we would like to stay in and should work together with the Government in managing indicators of this nature so that this country will be in a stable path before we get into a painful domain. I will not go into a lot of the nitty gritty numbers. Before I finish on the issue of drought, starvation and famine, the country has gone through great pain. When I see the budget of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kshs5 billion, what do they have to show for what they have done to mitigate drought in northern Kenya? It is extremely sad that we were thanking another Government for giving us only US$20 million. Why are we thanking them when we have the capacity to spend that money and do the right thing on time, so that our people do not starve and face famine? This is a shame and we should look at those areas in the future. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}