{"id":804865,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/804865/?format=json","text_counter":143,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Mr. Henry Rotich","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury","speaker":{"id":13142,"legal_name":"Henry Rotich","slug":"henry-rotich"},"content":"Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act. The Government will provide land in Naivasha for potential investors interested in setting up their activities in the SEZ to benefit from the SGR and cheap geothermal power generated nearby. We will also conclude the mode of financing the development of the Dongo Kundu SEZ in Mombasa, among others. We are taking actions to remove non-trade barriers within the EAC region. Together with other EAC partner States, we are working on the framework for the implementation of the EAC Non-Tariff Barriers Act, 2017. In addition, we have established an online reporting mechanism for non-tariff barriers. Further, we have embarked on the review of the Common External Tariff to enhance protection of industries in the region that is expected to be completed in the coming financial year. Meanwhile, we have stay of application on some of the sensitive products before completion of the review. Hon. Speaker, in order to reduce the cost of production for our manufacturers, we have cut the cost of off-peak power by half and we plan to implement modalities of bringing the cost of energy to about US$9 per kilowatt hour for selected investors. We are reviewing work permits to accommodate expatriates whose skills support our development agenda. We will continue to expand infrastructure and land access targeting manufacturing zones. Illicit and counterfeit trade rob us of revenue to fund critical programmes and retard our progress towards industrialisation. To deal with this, our multi-agency team, comprising the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Anti- Counterfeit Agency are coordinating efforts to identify, seize and destroy counterfeit goods. Already, the actions taken have yielded results."}