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{
    "id": 729932,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/729932/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Tonui",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1242,
        "legal_name": "Ronald Kiprotich Tonui",
        "slug": "ronald-kiprotich-tonui"
    },
    "content": "from wealthy families can have similar amenities to help them in doing their homework. All of them should have access to electricity, so as to have a better learning environment in their homes. I know people are saying they cannot afford electricity, but the cost of paraffin can even be higher than that of electricity. Currently, this is in high demand and there is a lot of pressure for the Last Mile Connectivity Project to reach all the villages. I know it is not possible to do so immediately, but I believe this is a good idea which needs to be fast- tracked, so that our people can get access to electricity. The amount of over Kshs100 billion which we are allocating is a good and worthwhile investment, so that we can get more tarmac and murram roads in this country. Some of our roads are in pathetic conditions and we need to improve them. I am happy some of this money will be used in my constituency. There is a road which is earmarked for tarmacking and which will be launched this Saturday, and it will benefit from the funds allocated for infrastructure. This is a welcome move. The idea of extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) towards the lake region is a good one. This idea by the Jubilee Government is quite welcome. I am happy that in the next phase, the SGR will pass through Bomet, so that our region can also open up. Previously, it passed through the upper side and those of us in the South Rift were not benefitting that much. Through this initiative, we will also benefit. On the issue of food security where we are allocating about Kshs11 billion for crop production, this will alleviate starvation in this country and stabilise food availability. This needs to be encouraged, especially the idea of having subsidised fertiliser which will benefit our farmers, including tea farmers in my constituency, who have never benefitted from debt write- offs. Through subsidised fertilisers, the farmers will, at least, get some relief, so that they can produce more tea for export and earn this country foreign exchange which is much needed. I know we are creating a big budget deficit. When I go through the Budget Estimates, I can see we are likely to collect about Kshs1.7 trillion yet we are making a Budget of nearly Kshs2.6 trillion. There will be a shortfall of Kshs800 billion. That is a huge gap which needs to be bridged. Some of the items which we are allocating funds to, which may not be of priority in nature, may need to be shed off from this. If we implement this Budget faithfully, we will achieve an economic growth rate of about 6 per cent. This can be of great value to this country so that we can reduce the level of unemployment. If we can have a higher growth rate, the issue of unemployment will be addressed. We will have more job opportunities for our people and that will be quite welcome. The Kshs7.7 billion set aside for the Equalisation Fund in this Budget is a good idea which is trying to address the issue of marginalisation. I tend to think that the way marginalised counties were identified might not have been the best. I do not think those are the correct names which we have in the Constitution. At a certain stage, we need to revise that. When you think of a county like Bomet which has no other source of income, and neighbours a county like Narok which has the Maasai Mara Game Reserve that generates about Kshs3 billion annually and we are giving them an additional Kshs800 million annually through the Equalisation Fund, it is very unfair. This needs to be relooked into, so that the list of the counties that will benefit from the Equalisation Fund can be addressed. That is why a county like Narok can pay bursaries for all its children in schools while the neighbouring county of Bomet is struggling and can hardly do that. On the teachers’ issue, which I am passionate about, I am a little bit happy that, at least, something has been factored in. About Kshs13 billion has been set aside to address the issues which were agreed through the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). Something small has 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."
}