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{
    "id": 91931,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/91931/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 301,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "the inflation rate and the exchange rates. To cage those ones together and manage the economy is not a mean achievement. I want to thank the Central Bank of Kenya and note the direction they are getting from the Ministry of Finance. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, let me also quickly say that Kenya belongs to the world, having signed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000. We have our biggest Ministries that are core in the achievement of the MDGs. These are the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Ministry of Agriculture. From the allocated amounts that we have seen when going through the Votes of those Ministries in terms of finance; they are actually under provided for, especially the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. They are terribly under-provided for. I will single out Millennium Development Goal number six that talks about eradication of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other communicable diseases. We find that although we are more or less on course towards the achievement of this goal, most of the funds are donor funds. The Ministry is yet to make the proper provision for this. So, if the donors withdraw from this, definitely we will not be able to achieve this particular goal. The same applies to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Ministry of Agriculture that must be properly provided for. The Ministry of Education must be provided for in order to achieve Millennium Development Goal number two which relates to provision of universal primary education. Right now, we see that in terms of volume and enrolment, we are achieving it, but the quality of education is wanting because of the shortage of teachers. We see now that there is an effort to employ 18,000 primary school teachers, and also teachers in secondary schools on contract. This must be taken seriously so that we have proper provision for employment of teachers on permanent basis, so that they can give proper guidance and also improve the quality of education. Lastly, we have seen that, recently, the Ministry of Finance introduced the infrastructure bond to assist in getting funds for development purposes. That is well intentioned, because it will also assist our nation, so that even where we do not get donor funds we are able to support ourselves. There is an area that the Ministry of Finance has paid lip service to. In 2008, a task force was set up to identify unclaimed assets. Its report has not been implemented up to today. Many banks have got funds in terms of billions that are unclaimed. Some of the owners of these assets died and nobody knows whether those funds exist at all. But the banks continue keeping those funds and even writing them back into their profits, as if the funds are profits from ventures by the banks. We have the stock exchange where some money has not been claimed. We even have people who pay cash bonds, and money has been collected. Some of it has never been traced at all. The Minister has talked of how to have an efficient retirement scheme. Today the NSSF has billions whose owners they do not know. So, if that report is given, we know where all these funds are and the Ministry is able to marshal all these billions of shillings--- If they are not claimed, they belong to the Government. I am sure the Government can hold them and invest them in development projects; as and when the owners show up, the Government can pay them. That is an area the Ministry of Finance has to pay a lot of attention to, and ensure that we really get those funds. With those remarks, I support."
}