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{
    "id": 836915,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/836915/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 242,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kiharu, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ndindi Nyoro",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13370,
        "legal_name": "Samson Ndindi Nyoro",
        "slug": "samson-ndindi-nyoro"
    },
    "content": "We can come here and enumerate the problems and the challenges but we need to go back to the drawing board and ask ourselves why we actually have these missions and embassies. Foreign policy currently across the globe is very important. That is the reason, for example in the United States of America (USA), of all the other secretaries who serve in different departments; the Secretary of State is the most important. Currently, we have Mike Pompeo. We have had so many other notable figures. This shows the importance of foreign policy in so far as driving the agenda of a country is concerned. In Russia, the current Secretary of State is the most outspoken Secretary and Minister in the Russian Federation because of the importance of the office. Even as we talk about the policy, we need to ask ourselves why we have their excellences in those countries. My answer - and I might be right or wrong - is that in the current dispensation, we should be driving trade. When we talk about trade, we need to have the right personnel and negotiators. Currently, we watch on international media every now and then that the bulwark or strong point of the current USA President is foreign policy and his representatives in different countries. The whole thing is about trade. He uses the word “deal” in most of his speeches than any other word just to rubberstamp the importance of trade when it comes to engagement with other foreign countries. I do not think we are doing so well. As we talk about western countries, closer home, let us talk about a country like Tanzania. We had this discussion yesterday in this House. We have over 853 products from Kenya facing tariffs when they are destined for our sister country, namely, Tanzania. Even more worrying - because we are talking about foreign policy and trade forms part of the basis of foreign policy – regionally, we are losing because we used to be the “Uncle Sam” and the big brother of this region but we are gradually losing this position. On trade and balance of trade (BOT) with our neighbouring countries, Kenya is currently subdued by Uganda in terms of BOT. We have a great opportunity because 82 per cent of the commodities that go to Uganda have to come through our ports. We need to refine our foreign policy especially when it comes to trade because that is the only point that makes sense to the citizens. The other day I heard our Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade giving us the numbers of Kenyans who are rotting in foreign jails. First is China but it is despicable that the second country where most Kenyans are in jail is our neighbouring country of Tanzania. When we should be talking about the advancements we are taking and the benefits we are reaping from our neighbouring countries in terms of trade, the only thing we can enumerate that tops the list is the number of Kenyans in those jails. As we talk about foreign trade - and I am talking directly to our neighbouring country and state - we need respect in our engagements so that even as we try to engage as countries and bring down barriers and boundaries, we will do this on the basis of respect and reciprocity. This is so that we also get back what we give even as we move forward with integrating the entire world together into one global population. That is the basis of foreign policy. With those many remarks, I support this Report by our sister Committee."
}