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{
"id": 861091,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/861091/?format=api",
"text_counter": 430,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Hargura",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 827,
"legal_name": "Godana Hargura",
"slug": "godana-hargura"
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"content": "As Sen. Ochillo-Ayacko has said, when you define a local company as one registered in Kenya, that also disadvantages locals. This is because Kenyans are not at the same level in terms of development, skills and business. If a resource like oil is found, for instance in Turkana, then it should be biased towards companies from that region so that the people from that region can also get opportunities. For example, an oil exploration company will be required to hire local labor and also hire vehicles from the locals instead of buying their own. The locals will also be supplying what they can, in terms of the daily usable items, for example food and all that can easily be procured from the locals. Unless the locals know that those opportunities are available in law, they will not be able to prepare themselves. When they hear that an industry is coming up there, they will provide the necessary skills and capacity so that they can benefit directly from it. That way, it will improve and develop the economy of that area, unlike what is happening now, where a company comes with everything. The only thing you get from such projects is menial jobs, like casual work and security guards. These contractors come with their drivers, while we know that there is no shortage of drivers wherever you go in this country. This is because they come with complications and requirements which are tailored to lock out the locals. Along the way, by the time they are coming to this country, some Kenyans would have already brokered some of these facilities. For example, I am the one who will provide the vehicles and food, among other things and the small tenders are already collected along the way. Therefore, by the time they get to the communities on the ground, they are already fully equipped. That is wrong. What does the community on the ground benefit from? That company will be there for the next 20 or 30 years, but the local community would not have benefited at all. Let us, therefore, limit even the company to the local ones. The policy should be that all they need should be sourced locally. If it is not available in that ward or sub-county, it should then be sourced in that county. If it is not available in the county, it can then be sourced nationally. That way, we will ensure that everybody benefits. That way, the one who will be affected directly by exploration or exploitation of those resources benefits directly from it. More often than not, that is the person who is often affected directly one way or another than any other Kenyan. I support that we need to have this kind of legislation because this is the only way we can make sure that Kenyans benefit, especially people from the northern part of this country or the arid parts. I am saying arid parts because those areas have, for a long time, been neglected and that is now where the next frontier for development is. That is where you will get all the resources; if it is oil, wind and solar, they are all in Turkana and all these other arid areas. That is where the next frontier of development is and that is why we are talking about clean energy. 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."
}