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{
"id": 1556392,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556392/?format=api",
"text_counter": 50,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Cabinet Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy is a Cabinet Secretary in the 21st Century Kenya, not some banana republic in the region or elsewhere. This is an era where everybody is talking about speeds of communication, not planning to establish networks. My concern, which is now my question is, at what point will we put to an end the planning phase and begin to deal with current issues of enhancing the speeds of our communications? We cannot be talking about planning to roll out network connectivity in the 21st Century. Could the Cabinet Secretary table a comprehensive list of the regions in this country that are not even covered by 2G, the next time he appears in this House, so that we know where we are? I thank you."
},
{
"id": 1556393,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556393/?format=api",
"text_counter": 51,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kathuri",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. The question raised by our colleague, the Senator for Turkana County is very important in this era. Just the other day, there were killings in Lokitaung area. One of the reasons maybe that happened is because of poor communication such that bandits came from Ethiopia and invaded a village that had no communication network. It is the responsibility of the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy and the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) to ensure that our service providers have connected networks across the country. That is why we have this USF. When I was a Member in the National Assembly, as the Chairperson of the Special Funds Committee, I oversighted this Fund. What we established is that a lot of money is just lying idle in this Authority. I remember at that time, the Head of State then, President Uhuru Kenyatta, once made a remark that the money should be given to the police because it was just lying idle. That was in 2020 or 2021. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is no reason some areas have no communication network. There is an agreement between the service providers such as Safaricom, Airtel and the rest to do coverage within a specific time. The question raised by my friend, Sen. Lomenen, is important. There are many other pockets of areas, some high-potential areas, which are not remote rural areas - areas in Nairobi - which have no network connectivity. For example, there is no connectivity in my house in Meru, where I live. It is very shameful in this era that we have such pockets in this country without connectivity. Mr. Speaker, Sir, my question is this. What does the Universal Service Fund (USF) do and how is it distributed across the country? I know it is in billions. My friend"
},
{
"id": 1556394,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556394/?format=api",
"text_counter": 52,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Waziri"
},
{
"id": 1556395,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556395/?format=api",
"text_counter": 53,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kathuri",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Kabogo, your people should give you facts and figures because you joined the Ministry the other day. How do they distribute that money? Sometimes they do computer rooms for schools where they come from. They also go and do others where they are known. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like you to give a ruling that they should provide details. Where has that money been going for the past five years? We would like to know the counties and the specific areas of this country. Fortunately, I did not know about this Fund. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1556396,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556396/?format=api",
"text_counter": 54,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Senator for Meru, you have asked your question."
},
{
"id": 1556397,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556397/?format=api",
"text_counter": 55,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kathuri",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I wanted it to sink to the management of the USF."
},
{
"id": 1556398,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556398/?format=api",
"text_counter": 56,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " The Cabinet Secretary has understood you. Just give an opportunity for him to respond."
},
{
"id": 1556399,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556399/?format=api",
"text_counter": 57,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kathuri",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Most obliged, Mr. Speaker, Sir. If I get another opportunity, I will hammer this issue because I know that Fund does not go to the right places, including Marsabit, since many areas have no connectivity. The USF is not being used prudently and it is in billions. Every time you make a call even for one minute, some money goes to the Fund. For any call that you make or receive, there are some cents that go to the Fund. Where does that money go to?"
},
{
"id": 1556400,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556400/?format=api",
"text_counter": 58,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you. Next is the Senator for Nairobi City."
},
{
"id": 1556401,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556401/?format=api",
"text_counter": 59,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are talking about far-flung areas and insecurity- prone, areas, but I can confirm that my mother-in-law does not have network at her home in Matungu. Sometimes it becomes embarrassing and very difficult for her to video call her eight-year old granddaughter. So, it is a nationwide problem. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, there is a time we were told that Telkom Kenya was going to be in charge of rolling out the national fiber optic network. Why are you relying on private entities like Safaricom and Airtel to roll out the national fiber optic network when you told us that Telkom Kenya had been charged with that and they have the capacity to roll out that infrastructure? I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}
]
}