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{
    "id": 985535,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/985535/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 901,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Homa Bay Town, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1565,
        "legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
        "slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
    },
    "content": "situation the Covid-19 pandemic has placed us in. If there is something which this pandemic has revealed to the entire world, more so to Kenya, is the levels of classification in our society. We have people in Kenya who can buy everything, we have people who can buy some things and we have people who cannot buy anything at all. The number of the last category, people who cannot buy anything at all, is increasing every day. People are losing employment. I am not an economist, but I also understand that the most reliable sources of income for any government are VAT, Income Tax and these other predictable ones. This pandemic is going to require our Government to use a lot of money and, therefore, to have a lot of money. How will we stabilise the health sector when this thing boomerangs as is predicted by the health specialists, if we are sending money away? We are in a partial lockdown as a country, but you already hear a lot of pressure from people who are saying “we cannot eat at all”. Reduction of VAT without corresponding price controls is never effective. Reduction of VAT in a situation where we leave pricing of goods to the forces of demand and supply out there is not effective. That being the case in our economy, I oppose. I know the President means well. I want to oppose, as a leader. I believe this is the reason this matter is remitted to us that we help the President and the Executive, as the leadership of the nation in this Assembly, think through how to pull our people out of this pandemic. I, therefore oppose, unlike cautioning like others. Instead of cautioning, just oppose. Let us reject this thing so that the people who have can purchase and give more to us to provide to those who cannot get at all. I thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}