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"speaker_name": "Sen. Halake",
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"content": "We were told this morning that the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that are made in the country are of higher quality than some of those we are importing. This is a wake-up call for us. As our value chain, export and import collapse, it is time for us to look inward and implement one of His Excellency the President agenda items of manufacturing. This will be a good opportunity. The Senator spoke about Tanzania doing well. I am not sure that is a good example. It is going on with business as usual and not testing. However, any Tanzanian tested in Kenya is positive. They are saying that vipimo vya Kenya si nzuri . They have started to question our testing. However, I stand by the testing done in Kenya. Therefore, every country is unique and has its needs and context. What Kenya is doing is right. We need to do more of it especially cushioning the most vulnerable in society as we lock things down. I know that the lockdown has affected many people especially the poor in the informal settlements. It has also affected more people in certain parts of the country where movement has been curtailed but requisite support has not been given. He also spoke about our borders. Our weakest link is our borders, especially the one with Tanzania. We are for the East African Community (EAC). However, when it comes to the lives of our citizens, we support the closure of the Kenya-Tanzania and Kenya-Somalia borders. Those of us who come from Northern Kenya by ethnicity and culture are more sympathetic. The people across the border may be our brothers but the pandemic is not. Madam Temporary Speaker, I thank Sen. Farhiya for her contribution. She is competent in the financial sector. Her contributions are spot on with regards to the percentage of our economy that is driven by SMEs. In fact, she said that it is 70 per cent but it is actually 89 per cent. Therefore, she is spot on in saying that support to SMEs is key to the survival of our economy because it has a ripple effect on 89 per cent of households that are supported by them. She also spoke about how SMEs die in the first five years. This is true. Statistics show that if SMEs are not well supported, they have a death rate of about five years. So, the pandemic has made it worse given that they have nowhere to get loans which are also being recalled, their import chains have been cut and productivity has gone to zero. Therefore, the suggestion for stimulus package is so much welcome. It forms part of both the Pandemic Response and Management Bill and the Report on the Thematic Area No.2, which is the economic sector and citizen support. Madam Temporary Speaker, another sector that I remembered as I was listening to Sen. Farhiya was the energy sector. Because we are now very desperate and our revenue collection has plummeted, we are starting to put back levies and taxes on areas of the economy that should not be taxed. For instance, I know independent power producers (IPPs), like the producers of mini grids and small solar that for a long time and for a good reason, had been exempted from taxation. However, in the latest Appropriation Bill or Finance Bill, those taxes have been brought back. I know that we need all the revenue we can get at this point. As a country, we are not just looking at empty coffers with so much need. To tax such areas will take 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."
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