Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 788318,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/788318/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 120,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gikaria",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2489,
        "legal_name": "David Gikaria",
        "slug": "david-gikaria"
    },
    "content": "Also whenever there are power surges and most of the machines or electrical appliances in the house or in the company are damaged, there is possibility of getting compensated. The right of wayleaves is addressed very articulately in this Bill. During our public participation in Murang’a, and specifically in Mathioya Constituency, it was so sad that tea farmers who had come together and collected Kshs2.2 billion to be able to generate power for use at the tea factory, could not undertake and finish that very dear project within the required period. This was just because they could not access less than 50 square metres of land because two farmers had refused to give them access, but this Bill will address that issue. Although Murang’a farmers spent two more years, which delayed their programme by two years; this Bill will address any future occurrences. It gives the right of wayleaves, whether it is on private or public land, or any of the community land; of course with the provision for compensation and other matters. This Bill does bring very critical agreements which have never seen their way into Parliament. One of them is the production sharing contract, which is normally just signed by the ministry and the explorers or the contractor without finding its way into Parliament. This Bill now requires the ministry to bring the production sharing contract and the field development plan to this House for approval. That will go a long way for us to understand the content of the production sharing contract that the ministry will have signed. Most importantly, as Hon. Duale has indicated, is the local content. For the first time in this country, this Bill does address local content and what the people where that resource has been found are going to benefit. That is a very important component. When we went for public participation in the field, the public did add a few other items to be included in the local content sections. We agreed with the community that whenever any contractor walking into a certain region, then he must recognise and bring value to the local people. We now have this under the law. That is one of the most progressive issues that this Bill has brought to the common mwananchi. The county government will get some share, so will the local community. Again, this Bill has defined a local community and has been given as a sub-county, that is, at the constituency level. We have also realised the need to have renewable and clean energy in this country. The environmental, health and safety issues raised by the public have been taken into consideration in this Bill. As Hon. Duale has just pointed out, this Bill does bring other players to generate, distribute and even sell energy to the common mwananchi. So, the dominance of Kenya Power (KP) has been addressed. Other key players will be moving in to this industry and be able to do almost everything within the energy sector to address the runaway costs that KP has always had through its monopoly. Of course, that comes with some conditions: That as you transit KP, you must also carry some obligation that that customer had with KP to wherever you are migrating to. That is a very fundamental issue. This Bill also does address the destruction of energy infrastructure. For example, this government has spent billions of shillings to put the transmission lines. But Kenyans just vandalise this very important energy infrastructure. So, this Bill does address the economic crimes, where any person or entity is found to interfere with or destroy the energy infrastructure. Another very important aspect that has been addressed in this Bill is a consolidated fund where money will be set aside. In case of any increase in the electricity bill, then the customer will not bear that cost. Some of that cost will be recovered from the fund. Let me now go into public participation, a very important component. The committee, while considering the Bill pursuant to Article 118(b) of the Constitution and Standing Order 127(3), invited the public to submit memoranda. We received memoranda from the Council of The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}