Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 918823,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/918823/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 353,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13119,
        "legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
        "slug": "agnes-zani"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I wish to support this Motion and congratulate Sen. Kasanga for bringing it. I do not want to go into the virtues of research and development because Sen. Wambua has eloquently done that in his presentation. The whole field of innovation is so critical. Most of the countries are coming up with these innovations and taking it through to the next level so that the innovation can bring out something that is functional. Madam Temporary Speaker, if you remember, M-PESA was an invention that came from a young man. It has now become something critical. So, it is something that has to be encouraged. Sometimes, you find specific education on enabling possibilities of colleges and universities, to ensure that this sort of research takes place. In the field of imparting knowledge, theory and research is key. The amount, level and quality of teaching is enhanced by research. Unfortunately, because research is expensive, you find that most of the lecturers and teachers tend to focus only on the teaching. So, they come up with things, for example, yellow notes, where somebody has the notes that they taught with for the last 20 years yet there are new things coming up. Madam Temporary Speaker, there are doctors who do not have the recent techniques of handling any problem because they are not researching. If a person does not research, they do not get to where they are meant to be. In fact, technology has improved so that we can research easily, for example, on phones or any other equipment. What happens in the long run is that various national policies on research and innovation are available. However, there is fragmentation in the sector. Therefore, you find that the whole research agenda, adequate funding and competitiveness that is not meant to be is interfered with. Therefore, this Motion addresses this by coming up with a comprehensive report from all institutions of higher learning on the status of performance of research and innovation in the country. This is key so that we know where they are and how they can build up to the next level. Also, improving allocation of funds for academic as well as sustainable community based research is also important. I know that there are certain initiatives at university level to ensure that funds are made available. However, the systematic ways that this should be done is not there. Therefore, sometimes you find that these funds are ad hoc and a stop gap. They conduct little research here and there. If you think of places like the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), for example, they need to have enough money for research so that they can know how to 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."
}