{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=138600","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=138598","results":[{"id":1402401,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402401/?format=json","text_counter":158,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Aldai, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Marianne Kitany","speaker":null,"content":"Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Bill seeks to also ensure that we protect consumers of goods and services; that we also ensure public safety and promote environmental protection as licensees are being taken through licenses. Finally, the Bill seeks to maintain public confidence in the respective sectors so that any imposition of any fees in the counties is carried out in a manner that will not hamper the respective businesses or industries. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time. I would request the Member of Parliament for Keiyo North, Hon. Adams Kipsanai, to second it."},{"id":1402402,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402402/?format=json","text_counter":159,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Deputy Speaker","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Who is seconding?"},{"id":1402403,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402403/?format=json","text_counter":160,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Keiyo North, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Adams Korir","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Before I proceed to second this Bill, I wish to state the following. First, I congratulate the originator of the Bill. This Bill will help Kenyans in doing business. The youth of this country will eventually find ease in doing their businesses. Many required licenses that the county governments are demanding will no longer be needed. Secondly, it will protect professionals. People who are doing pharmaceutical businesses, like the pharmacists, will no longer be needed to pay the money that goes to the board and the county governments. Thirdly, is to protect the consumers. Currently, as a country, our people are suffering from consuming illicit drinks. This is because the licenses are being issued without thorough interrogation. This Bill recommends that we have a vetting board that includes the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) officials, who can sit and vet before approving the licensing of those businesses. Otherwise, Hon. Deputy Speaker, I second the Bill. Thank you very much. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"},{"id":1402404,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402404/?format=json","text_counter":161,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Question proposed)"},{"id":1402405,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402405/?format=json","text_counter":162,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Deputy Speaker","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Hon. Owen Baya."},{"id":1402406,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402406/?format=json","text_counter":163,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kilifi North, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Owen Baya","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is a very important Bill for which I beg to support. The County Licensing (Uniforms Procedure) Bill, Senate Bill No.9 of 2022 is co-sponsored by the by Senator Omar Mariam Sheikh. The Bill was passed by the Senate with amendments on 21st February, 2024. Subsequently, this Bill was submitted to the National Assembly. It was first tabled and read a first time on 28th February 2024 and committed to the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives pursuant to Standing Order 143(2). This is a very important Bill whose principal objective is to provide for a national legislative framework for uniform procedures for the licensing of various activities by county governments. Hon. Deputy Speaker, you will realise that every county government in this country has its own way of licensing. Therefore, there are very many variations that have made it very difficult to do business in Kenya thus the need for a uniform procedure for licensing. In addition, the Bill will ensure certainty in the licensing processes in all counties and encourage private sector players to do business in the counties. This will unhook the issues that we have when it comes to licensing in the counties. If we have investors coming in and then we discover that each county has different procedures, the only way we can ensure that there is uniformity and ease of doing business in the country is through this Bill. The objective of this Bill as enumerated in there is the need to protect consumers of goods and services, ensure public safety and promote environmental protection. There is need to maintain public confidence in the respective sectors under which the license is issued and the imposition of licensing fees is carried out in a manner that does not hamper the respective business. A good environment for doing business is very important in the counties. The county governments of Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale are neighbours. If you want to transport sand from Kilifi to Shanzu you will find that when you get there, the County Government of Mombasa has a different procedure. The same business person is now exposed to a different procedure. He has again to start a new procedure before he finishes that and takes the material to Kwale. When he gets across the ferry, he is stopped by the County Government of Kwale and again subjected to a different procedure. At the end of the day this investor or business person who wants to do business with these three counties has issues and loses a lot of money along the way. However, if we have a uniform procedure on how to do things, it will make it very easy for a business person who wants to do business at the Coast. I hope Hon. Omar Mwinyi has understood the import of this Bill to ensure that even him as a businessman for whom I know he is a very astute businessman in land matters, does not have issues in transacting land matters with the County Government of Kilifi, Mombasa or Kwale, so that his land continues to be safe in the hands of the county governments."},{"id":1402407,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402407/?format=json","text_counter":164,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Loud consultations)"},{"id":1402408,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402408/?format=json","text_counter":165,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kilifi North, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Owen Baya","speaker":null,"content":"Hon. Deputy Speaker, allow me to continue. They need to ensure that licensing procedures are simple and that licensing services are accessible to a person applying for a license. Accessibility is key in doing business. Sometimes we have had a situation where a trader wants to trade with Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River and Makueni, but the office in Kilifi is open on Friday while the other one opens for licensing on Saturday. It becomes very difficult to ensure that there is accessibility. What this Bill will do is to ensure that the licensing procedures are simple, accessible and easy to get for any business person who wants to do business. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"},{"id":1402409,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402409/?format=json","text_counter":166,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kilifi North, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Owen Baya","speaker":null,"content":"The importance of declaring and upholding proper standards of conduct by licensees is very important. Sometimes, the uncouth business behaviours of licensees are rude and uncontrollable. They want to do everything by themselves and this makes it very difficult for business people. If we pass this Bill, it will ensure that licensees are people who have a standard operating procedure, which they can use to ensure that they do business very well. This is a very important Bill which will promote efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of licensing processes in the counties to ensure that they are undertaken in a fair and transparent way. This Bill from the Senate is going to help run counties for them to be able to generate enough revenue and ensure that there is ease of doing business. We have an opportunity as the 13th Parliament to ensure that we streamline businesses in the counties. Hon. Deputy Speaker, own source revenue has been a key problem for counties. They budget, give huge budget estimates for own source revenue, but they are unable to collect this revenue because of the hindrances that are within the licensing regime. This Bill will ensure that our counties now collect enough local revenue so that they do not have to depend entirely on the national Government. They can now have a uniform, transparent, easy and efficient procedure for licensing. This will help counties to generate more local revenue for themselves. With all those many remarks, I support this, Bill. I would also ask, the Hon. Omar Mwinyi, the great man from Mombasa, the leader from Changamwe, who has been tried, tested and proven to be a quality leader to support this Bill on behalf of the people of Mombasa. I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker."},{"id":1402410,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402410/?format=json","text_counter":167,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Deputy Speaker","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"The Member for Kitui South, Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai."}]}