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{
    "id": 946737,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/946737/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 423,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Farhiya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13179,
        "legal_name": "Farhiya Ali Haji",
        "slug": "farhiya-ali-haji"
    },
    "content": "uniting us because this country has a lot of potential that can benefit and unite Kenyans as a whole. This is because everybody was united at that moment. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Eliud said: “Beyond limit” and this has also been beyond imagination. This House, as we always like to say, is the House of wisdom. As we know, our athletes, or any other athlete for that matter, have limited time. They can only compete up to a certain age. It is, therefore, unacceptable for them to be winning and, later on. they die in poverty. I urge Sen. Cheruiyot or anybody else, to work on that Bill as soon as possible. I hope that the other House will be wise enough to ensure that, that Bill passes very quickly. The wins by these athletes, not only secures their future, but also boosts the economy of this country. This is because when they invest properly, revenue is generated. However, I agree with Sen. Wetangula that the money they are given after they win should be tax-free. Since these athletes are our ambassadors, anything they win should not be taxed. This is because if they invest properly, there will be enough profit generated and this will give good revenue to the Government. That is where we should focus and not the money they get after they win. Foreign investors like the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) are given tax breaks. Why do we not do the same to our athletes instead of taxing them and, in the end, discouraging them? It breaks my heart to see great men and women who have done our country proud by winning, wallowing in poverty. Just as India has distinguished itself in terms of medical tourism, Kenya can become a country where the whole world looks up to for training. We have been producing the best athletes all the time. We can have athletics tourism in country if we invest enough. Sen. Nyamunga, Sen. Cheruiyot and I, sit in the Committee on Finance and Budget and have seen the revenue of this country - both in the counties and the national level - dwindling as the years go by. That can be reversed only if we not only create proper regulation or laws that guide the investments, but also the number of people that can be employed. The other day we were discussing the rate of unemployment in the country. If the value chain that is created by sports is well looked into, this country can be rich. We can have a win-win situation for all of us. The win for all of us is the revenue generated. We are making the Kenya Breweries Limited a very rich institution because once the athletes stop active sports, they start drinking. We should encourage them to invest in the right places. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is motivation for upcoming athletes. If the athletes were supported to invest properly, Kenyans would know that athletics is a career and take it seriously just like the way we treat the national examinations seriously. We work hard in exams to attain ‘As’ to take us to medical or engineering courses. Young Kenyans can be encouraged to compete in athletics and make a future that is sustainable for them. I beg to support."
}