Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 866765,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/866765/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 267,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Marakwet West, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. William Kisang",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2263,
        "legal_name": "William Kipkemoi Kisang",
        "slug": "william-kipkemoi-kisang"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me this opportunity. This is a timely Motion that has been brought by my colleague, Hon. Osotsi. Kenya is way ahead. Statistically, we are fourth globally when it comes to innovation. In the last five to 10 years, we came up with e-Government services. You will realise that most of the services being offered at Huduma centres have really helped our youth when it comes to accessing services. The services that we access through Huduma centres and e- citizen are things like applying for passports, driving licences and work permits. It is because of technology that this has been achieved. The best thing to do, as Hon. Osotsi has stated in this Motion is to provide free and secure internet services across the two constituencies. Currently, we can only access those services at the county level. We need to move further to each of the constituencies and eventually to every ward so that our youth do not have to travel far seeking services. There is a challenge. My colleagues have talked about lack of funds. In the last Supplementary Budget that we received when passing the Finance Bill, about Kshs5.5 billion of the funds were reduced because of the reduction of VAT from 16 per cent to 8 per cent. This Kshs5.5 billion was supposed to help move fibre optics closer to wananchi . We were supposed to move fibre optics to every sub-county headquarters and every sub-county hospital so that our youth can access such. This will be a serious challenge going forward. When we come to Supplementary II, we need to increase funds so that we can actualise the resolution of the House to have Wi-Fi and free internet across our constituencies. Secondly, when it comes to the policies and regulations on free Wi-Fi, as the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, we are looking at some critical infrastructure Bills which will help to ensure that Wi-Fi is easily accessed in every constituency and even sub-locations. We will have a conversation with the Council of Governors so that we can make construction of Wi-Fi cheaper. Currently, all the counties are charging different rates to dig across the roads and lay fibre optic lines. We will soon have that conversation. A Bill is coming to the House so that we see how we can make it cheaper to push through. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}