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{
    "id": 752494,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/752494/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 198,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Keynan",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": "Yes. Hon. Speaker, thank very much. This touches on investments. Being the Chair of PIC, I feel I should say something. I appreciate and thank the Government for intervening on this critical investment called KQ. We need to understand the nature of our economy. All of us profess and say Kenya is a premier nation but underlying that is something that we must all be prepared to jealously protect. How do we do it? Look at countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the services offered by the Emirates Airlines. The Emirates Airlines is one of the loss making international airlines but when you see the face of it, you feel that it is the best airline in the world. How does the Emirates benefit from a loss-making airline? This is the bit that we need to understand. This is in terms of tourism and support to other sectors. What we lack, as a country, is the ability to deal with the gaps and failures that have affected all the privatisation initiatives we have undertaken. We have done a number of privatisation measures. Look at what has happened to the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), Mumias Sugar, Uchumi Supermaket, Telkom, Chemelil Sugar and the Oil Refinery. All this is because even when these privatisations are undertaken, they are done for the benefit of particular individuals especially the wheeler-dealers. This is the bit that we must deal with so that the Privatisation Commission is prepared to deal with these economic saboteurs. Look at Kenya. We pride ourselves as a regional economic, infrastructural and communication hub. If we allow KQ to go under, then we will lose other sectors. The other day, you saw the recent economic survey by the World Bank. Look at our neighbour here, a sleeping economic giant. It is almost moving. Look at what Tanzanians are doing. I do not want to allude to what is happening to the East African nation. I know it is late but I want to say that we must be prepared to project, promote and protect the image of Kenya as an investment destination. I know it is late but KQ must stay. My final prayer is that the names of those who brought down Kenya Airways are known, whether they work for KLM or other special agencies. Like my good friend and many others have said, they must be brought to book so that they pay back what they looted from Kenya Airways. With these remarks, I want to thank those who brought this initiative and ask Michael Joseph and others who are at the helm of KQ to please, not to take this for granted. We will never bail you again. We must turn this into an opportunity and ensure that Kenya Airways once again goes back to profit making. I support."
}