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{
    "id": 858707,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/858707/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kihika",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13216,
        "legal_name": "Susan Wakarura Kihika",
        "slug": "susan-wakarura-kihika"
    },
    "content": "disadvantaged by the importers. Yes, we are a democracy that is open to international trade and all those other big things, but we cannot do so unless we protect our local manufacturers. Otherwise, we just continue on what we have seen which is a lot of importing and almost a little or inconsequential exporting or even consumption of local goods in our country. This is because in the cases now where you have the local manufacturers being able to put up factories and come up with the sanitary towels, then they are unable to compete with those who import these products because of this extremely unfair business environment that they face. Therefore, the best way would be for the Houses to amend the VAT law so that we can add the local manufactures of sanitary towels. This will ensure that they are on the list of the zero rates goods. Then they will be able to compete with whoever is importing these sorts of finished products. In addition to that, when they do not have to pay these extreme taxes, duty that is so high, VAT and luxury taxes that are tucked onto what is needed to produce the sanitary towels, when they save on that by being zero rated, they are able to lower the cost of production. The cost of the sanitary towels in our shops will be at a lower cost. Therefore, as a country, we will have many women and girls being able to afford these sanitary towels and also allowing the economy to grow through the work of the manufacturers. We are creating jobs and making the sanitary towels affordable and accessible to the 52 per cent of the population that is in this country and that at one point or another we will require this. It also breaks my heart when I read that in many of our areas, many families cannot afford sanitary towels and as such many of our girls miss many days of school when they have their monthly periods because they cannot go to school without this necessity. As we know, as grown women and for the men, their mothers, wives and sisters--- I mean, we are a country where the conversations around the menstrual period are not heard. They are very secret and shroud in mystery. You know, it is something that you do at your own time, space and it is hidden. So these girls are not able to get up and go to school when they are experiencing this which happens, for those who are not aware, once a month and sometimes can be very heavy for many days at a time . When our girls miss school, they are disadvantaged. Madam Temporary Speaker, let me address the issue of discrimination due to gender which we must stand up for and correct to make sure that it does not happen. Our girls must be in school. That is why I also support that our schools must be required to provide sanitary towels to all the girls and not just for a day, minute or one cycle, but consistently. If we are able to afford all this, I mean we can do the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) but we cannot have our girls having free sanitary towels. We cannot continue having all that. We can do all these “elephant” projects that we are having. Everywhere we look we have big projects yet the basic needs of our girls are not being met. It cannot be one of those things where we say we have no money. We have a wonderful advantage of having free primary and secondary education. So the next thing that we must do is to take care of free sanitary towels in our schools, so that our girls can access this. It is the law that everybody should be able to live a life of dignity and in our being able to have our girls afford or access this, not even afford The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}