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{
    "id": 816012,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/816012/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 333,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Part of this was in that spirit; that we want to look out for what Kenyans can do and also uplift those who are not being seen because there are some who are doing the work and are not able and yet there are local ones who can do it. When it comes to building and infrastructure, the issue of local contractors has been in question a lot. With all the collapsed infrastructure and buildings, there is always the question around our own local capacities. However, the fact remains that we have those who do not perform and those who do. It is important that the Government through NCA weeds out all those who do not perform and have those who perform be empowered though NCA, which is also their mandate to train and uplift our local contractors. Madam Temporary Speaker, the spirit of this Motion was to bring that up. The reason why I brought it at the time was because I had raised a Statement in the House to NCA, asking various questions including tabling the number of foreign contractors in the construction industry. They did so and there are quite a number of them. Another question was on jobs that the Government had given to foreign contractors. I think that is where eyebrows were raised because you find foreign contractors working in counties. In one instance, you find a foreign contractor doing construction work worth Kshs151 million in Kisumu County. I believe our local contractors are able to do that work. The question that came to my mind was; did these foreign contractors come specifically to construct a primary school in Kisumu County? It turns out that when foreign contractors are given licenses, it is because they come to do something specific and that has been clear according to NCA. The question now remains; when they finish doing the specific work that they came to do, what should happen? Why is it that we are seeing foreign contractors in counties doing our work? When a foreign contractor finishes what it is that they were tasked to do, which is because Kenyans cannot do it, they are supposed to be decommissioned, deregistered and to exit. However, we have seen many foreign contractors getting very comfortable within the country. My problem is that, they are doing work that our local contractors can do. The question is; why is it that that they are favoured over the local contractors, yet we have a body called NCA that is supposed to train our local contractors and lift their capacity, so that we do not have to keep having foreign contractors coming? So, since NCA had highlighted that it does happen, then comes the reason why we need a full review of the registration drive. In my questioning during the Statement, I also asked if foreign contractors are mandated to carry out Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and technology transfer. The NCA confirmed that it is not mandated in the contracts as they come into the country to do the work. My feeling is that any foreign contractor coming has a duty to transfer that technology and also perform CSR because the size of projects that they come to do are large. We are in a country which is still grappling with basic needs. I raised this Motion because I want the Senate to mandate the Government that foreign contractors have to participate in CSR. In fact, it has to be part of the contracts on the deliverables and so is technology transfer. Why should we keep asking contractors to come and do things that we should be able to do? Once they have brought in something that we do not know, we The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}