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{
    "id": 802318,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/802318/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 128,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Nyasuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 590,
        "legal_name": "Gladys Atieno Nyasuna",
        "slug": "gladys-atieno-nyasuna"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Report on the Budget. I would like to congratulate the Budget and Appropriations Committee for taking their role very seriously in terms of engaging with Parliament as far as budget-making is concerned. Previously, the Budget Estimates would come from the Executive, and Parliament would make very minimal changes to the document. We have since seen a lot of reallocations done by the Budget and Appropriations Committee, domiciling the budget-making power in Parliament. We now realise that the power to make the national Budget is truly in Parliament. I thank the Committee. Having said that, I would like to go directly to the Motion. Youth unemployment in this country remains a major problem. When massive resources were directed towards the NYS and other youth empowerment programmes, there was excitement all over. We were eager to see how we could transform the youth of this country through a five-point plan, but the whole programme has turned into a disaster. Therefore, the decision to reduce money from the NYS is prudent. When the Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, in which I sit, reduced money from the NYS Vote, the intention was not to make the youth of this country lose that money. The intention was to reduce the money from the NYS, but not to punish the youth. It was meant to redirect that money towards other youth programmes. I would like to fault the Budget and Appropriations Committee for taking the money away from NYS and redirecting it to other projects, like infrastructure development, in total disregard to recommendations by the Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Welfare. Redirecting funds from the NYS to infrastructure is not right. We have to invest in the development of our people. Taking the money away from NYS is good, but directing it to programmes not related to youth empowerment is not fair. What the Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Welfare had recommended was for that money to be channelled to the youth through the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and the Women Enterprise Development Fund, as well as through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund. However, what happened ultimately was that the money was taken away, but has not really been seen."
}