{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=148377","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=148375","results":[{"id":1501952,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501952/?format=json","text_counter":154,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wamatinga","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13582,"legal_name":"Wahome Wamatinga","slug":"wahome-wamatinga"},"content":"I will not be surprised that this is what the President alluded to, having gotten new information from our development partners, that this company has been inducing the other countries, we had no option but to cancel the deal. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, that to me is a bold decision and true leadership. True leadership is making the decision when you have the necessary information, but not based on the propaganda. We know we are moving in a thin physical space in this country, and the only way to move this country forward, is to embrace public-private partnership. I would like to request my fellow colleagues in this House, that, if we think that we need to do thorough public participation before we embrace any proponent of public- private partnership, then let us enact that and make sure that it is enshrined in the Act. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is also not lost to me that the President spoke about us being more people-centric. I remember he spoke about the Conflict of Interest Bill that is before this House. I also do remember that the President spoke about the housing project. I have had the opportunity of studying and working in Germany for 20 years. During my tenure of working in Germany, where I used to work for International Business Machines (IBM), I had the opportunity to move across Europe. I can tell you what has formed the basis of the strong social structures in Europe is ensuring that they have houses for social purposes. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, what do I mean by that? Barely will you see families in Germany living out in the cold. This is because there is housing for every social class. After the unification of Germany, where East Germany was economically more downtrodden than the West, they came up with affordable housing models that ensured even the people living in East Germany were able to come up with standards. It therefore surprises me when I listen to my colleagues here. We know that there are informal settlements like Mathare, Kawangware and Mukuru-Kwa Reuben. In Nyeri County we have Majengo. When will these people, up and in the line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), live in houses that are decent and connected to sanitation, and are spacious? Unless somebody does not live in this country, opposing affordable housing is a decision that cannot be made by somebody who does not have the social welfare of the people at heart. Kenya is a signatory to the Sustainable Development Goals. One of the requirements is that everybody must have access to affordable and decent housing. This can only be realised if we embrace the affordable housing project. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, lastly, people have lamented about is SHA and SHIF. I would want to invite Members to look at the social structures in Denmark, Sweden and Germany, where everybody, regardless of your social standing and how much you earn, you have access to the most sophisticated medical services. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my colleagues are lamenting that we are contributing Kshs36,000 per month as Members of Parliament. I cannot compare that to the amount of money that I was contributing, and I am happy because Sen. (Dr.) Murango is here and he knows the number of harambees that we attend every weekend, just to support people who are not able to pay their bills. What we need to do is address the teething problems that are there. 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":1501953,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501953/?format=json","text_counter":155,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wamatinga","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13582,"legal_name":"Wahome Wamatinga","slug":"wahome-wamatinga"},"content":"Addressing does not mean castigating SHIF and SHA will justify the small problems. Let us work on it, refine and address the shortfalls and the teething problems that came with it, and make sure that it works because it is a right of working for every Kenyan to access affordable health services. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Taifa Care, which was attempted by the Kibaki government did not work. I recall at that time, none other than Hon. Charity Ngilu was the Minister for Health. She did an attempt on it, but it did not work. During the reign of Uhuru, it also did not work. It is the high time and an opportunity to make this work so that when the books of history are written, it will be said, yes, this Senate enabled that to happen. That will be done through ensuring that we put the legislative gaps to a stop by legislating and putting Acts that will ensure that the shortfalls are addressed. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is not lost to us that we came to power having come from COVID-19, and having faced one of the worst droughts in the last 40 years. As I listened to my colleague, Sen. Wambua talk, I thought he does not even come from Ukambani, which was one of the most hard hit regions by the drought. We know that we were not able for three consecutive years to service our foreign obligations. We could not service them or repay debts that were meant to be paid. Therefore, we, in this regime, had to tackle all that. It is not rocket science. When we came to power the cost of living was high and the inflation was high, but it has come down. Let us not just oppose the President because we belong to the opposition. Let us rise up and say that, yes, there is a shortfall we must address. One of the shortfalls is corruption and we must address corruption. We must call it out regardless of who you are in this country. I, therefore, invite all of us to subject ourselves into a lifestyle audit in order to see how we are living in the short time we have been in office and whether, we have earned that much. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, some of the people going around castigating the Presidency and the Government have amassed their wealth through corruption. We must be brave and bold enough to say that enough is enough because this is the time we are called as leaders to rise up and say that we must support this country. This is because, the success of every Kenyan regardless of where they are, is a success for every Kenyan. As I sit down, I know there is the proposed High Grand Falls Dam and other dams in Nyeri County that have been promised since we got independence, but that cannot be realized unless we embrace public-private partnerships. My humble request to my colleagues is that we should address the gaps that are there, so that we can deliver what Kenyans have waited for, for 60 years. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is sad when we have an education system that will ensure an orphan gets an equal opportunity with a child from a rich family, but I hear people opposing it. It is time leaders joined hands and worked for Kenyans regardless of where people come from. Whether you come from marginalized communities or from the ‘ Murima,’ every child has a right to access to education and that can only be done if the kids that go to academies pay a little bit more than those who are orphans. That is what the President is saying, an education system that will ensure everyone gets their right and opportunities regardless of where they come from. 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":1501954,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501954/?format=json","text_counter":156,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wamatinga","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13582,"legal_name":"Wahome Wamatinga","slug":"wahome-wamatinga"},"content":"It cannot be business as usual for poor people that when you become sick, you start making your coffin. Those born in poor families should be given an opportunity to reclaim their lives because they can access better medical services. This can only be done if we support SHIF and SHA. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I support."},{"id":1501955,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501955/?format=json","text_counter":157,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abdul Haji","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you, Senator. Sen. Daniel Kitonga."},{"id":1501956,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501956/?format=json","text_counter":158,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Maanzo","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13589,"legal_name":"Maanzo Daniel Kitonga","slug":"maanzo-daniel-kitonga"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to comment. Those are my names, Daniel Kitonga Maanzo. This Address came as a requirement of the Constitution and the President is supposed to address the two Houses on the State of the Nation. A number of things have been said, but most important is the issue of agriculture. In this country, we are aware that there was a big fertilizer scandal. I have been in the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. We followed up the matter, brought all the evidence that there was fake fertilizer in the country and that matter was swept under the carpet. A solution was never given. The farmers who were sold the fake fertilizer have not been given proper fertilizer. Their crop was poor out of that. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this matter is yet to be settled and farmers are not certain whether in this season’s farming, they will get good fertilizer that can make their crops better. Fertilizer is very important and there is no guarantee from the Government that that will be done."},{"id":1501957,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501957/?format=json","text_counter":159,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abdul Haji","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. Kitonga, would you like to be informed by Sen. Cherarkey?"},{"id":1501958,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501958/?format=json","text_counter":160,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Maanzo","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13589,"legal_name":"Maanzo Daniel Kitonga","slug":"maanzo-daniel-kitonga"},"content":"No, I do not want to be informed by Sen. Cherarkey. He belongs to the same lying Government and most probably, he will lie to me. He will not inform me."},{"id":1501959,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501959/?format=json","text_counter":161,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abdul Haji","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. Cherarkey, what is your point of order?"},{"id":1501960,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501960/?format=json","text_counter":162,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Cherarkey","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13217,"legal_name":"Cherarkey K Samson","slug":"cherarkey-k-samson"},"content":"Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I would not wish to interrupt my brother, but on Standing Order No.105 and for us who are farmers, it is unfair for Sen. Maanzo to mislead the public. When this issue of fake fertilizer came out, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) encouraged farmers to report any fake fertilizer for compensation. To say on the Floor of the House that nothing has been done, even if we have to bash the Government, is not being fair on the truth."},{"id":1501961,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1501961/?format=json","text_counter":163,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abdul Haji","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" The Senate Majority Leader, what is your point of order?"}]}