HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, POST, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"count": 1608389,
"next": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=150332",
"previous": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=150330",
"results": [
{
"id": 1521502,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521502/?format=api",
"text_counter": 62,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kibwana",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 277,
"legal_name": "Kibwana Kivutha",
"slug": "kibwana-kivutha"
},
"content": "Mr. Speaker, kindly protect me. From here, I am being distracted. 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": 1521503,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521503/?format=api",
"text_counter": 63,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " The Senate Minority Leader, you may want to hear your colleague in silence."
},
{
"id": 1521504,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521504/?format=api",
"text_counter": 64,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kibwana",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 277,
"legal_name": "Kibwana Kivutha",
"slug": "kibwana-kivutha"
},
"content": "Mr. Speakr, Sir, I take this opportunity to commend and congratulate the petitioners, including the Kenya National Commission of Human Rights (KNCHR), Charity Muturi, the Kenya Psychiatrists Association and other stakeholders for their unwavering commitment to this noble cause. These efforts have set a precedent for a more compassionate and evidence-based approach to mental health in our country. This ruling aligns with our constitutional values under Article 43, which guarantees every Kenyan the right to the highest attainable standard of health, including mental health. It further upholds the principles of equality, non-discrimination and human dignity enshrined in Articles 27 and 28 of the Constitution. However, the decriminalization of attempted suicide is a significant milestone. It is only the beginning. As legislators, we must now focus on strengthening mental health care in Kenya. In this regard, I wish to propose the following urgent interventions- (1) Amendment of relevant laws; parliament must swiftly repeal all provisions of the penal code that decriminalize mental health-related conditions and align our legal framework with global best practices. (2) Increase budgetary allocation for mental health; there is a critical need for more resources in mental health services, including counseling, rehabilitation and suicide prevention programs at all levels of health care. (3) Public awareness and destigmatization campaigns; the Ministry of Health in collaboration with other stakeholders, should intensify public education on mental health, emphasizing that suicide is a medical condition and not a crime. (4) Establishment of crisis response units; counties should establish well-equipped mental health crisis response teams to provide timely intervention for individuals in distress. (5) Implementation of the Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026; the Government must fully implement the existing strategy, focusing on early detection, intervention and community-based mental health support programs. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this ruling reaffirms the critical role of the judiciary in safeguarding fundamental rights and protecting vulnerable members of our society. It is now upon us as the Senate to complement this progress by ensuring that the necessary legislative and policy measures are enacted to promote a supportive, rehabilitative and dignified approach to mental health care in Kenya. I urge all my colleagues to join hands in this mission to transform Kenya into a country that treats mental health with the urgency, care and humanity it deserves. I thank you."
},
{
"id": 1521505,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521505/?format=api",
"text_counter": 65,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Olekina, you may proceed."
},
{
"id": 1521506,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521506/?format=api",
"text_counter": 66,
"type": "heading",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "PLIGHT OF WHEAT FARMERS IN NAROK COUNTY"
},
{
"id": 1521507,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521507/?format=api",
"text_counter": 67,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 407,
"legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
"slug": "ledama-olekina"
},
"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53(1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries 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": 1521508,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521508/?format=api",
"text_counter": 68,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 407,
"legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
"slug": "ledama-olekina"
},
"content": "regarding the plight of wheat farmers in Narok County and the whole of Kenya due to the influx of imported wheat into the country. In the statement, the committee should- (1) State whether the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economic Planning are working together to determine what would be the shortage of wheat after swiping all locally available wheat. They ought to do so before agreeing to the quota allocated by the Council of East African Ministers under Legal Notice No. EAC/204/2024, which is a total of 3,096,500 metric tonnes of wheat grains, that has caused tremendous suffering of local farmers whose produce for 2024 is still in their stores. Mr. Speaker, Sir, millers opt to import cheap grains rather than buy local produce. The local farmers' frustrations yesterday led to a six-hour farmers' demonstration where all farmers parked their tractors and farm implements along Narok-Nairobi Road causing tremendous distractions for businesses in Narok town and traffic snarl up, which affected ordinary Kenyans. (2) State the current wheat deficit in the country. (3) State the total wheat production in Narok County and how much of it has been bought by the local millers. (4) The following are some of the millers that have been given the mandate to import the varying quantities of wheat grains into the country. (i) Capwell Industries - 65,000 metric tonnes. (ii) Lukenya Flour Mills Limited - 33,000 metric tonnes. (iii) Karibu Flour Mills - 60,000 metric tonnes. (iv) Malindi Flour Millers Limited - 27,500 metric tonnes. (v) Bakex Millers Limited - 50,000 metric tonnes. (vi) Wittebix East African Limited - 5,000 metric tonnes. (vii) Eldoret Grains Limited - 5,000 metric tonnes. (viii) Joy Millers Limited - 200,000 metric tonnes. (ix) Kitui Flour Mills - 324,000 metric tonnes. (x) Rafiki Millers Limited - 40,000 metric tonnes. (xi) Jamii Milling Limited - 24,000 metric tonnes. (xii) Alpha Grain Millers Limited - 45,000 metric tonnes. Mr. Speaker, Sir, these are some of the millers that are importing instead of buying local produce. I beg to request."
},
{
"id": 1521509,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521509/?format=api",
"text_counter": 69,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Next Order. Clerk, just a moment. I will allow 15 minutes of intervention on the three statements that have been read out. I will start with Sen. Sifuna Edwin."
},
{
"id": 1521510,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521510/?format=api",
"text_counter": 70,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13599,
"legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
"slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
},
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Allow me to welcome you back. Since the delegation from Lesotho is still here, I want them to pass my regards to the former Prime Minister, Moeketsi Majoro, who is my personal friend. He was the head of delegation for the Observer Mission for the Somaliland election. Tell him his friend from Nairobi says, hi. 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": 1521511,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521511/?format=api",
"text_counter": 71,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13599,
"legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
"slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
},
"content": "I want to comment on the statement that has been brought by the Senator for Narok County, Hon. Ledama Olekina, regarding the status of the farmers in Narok who are currently staring at very serious losses. As a country, we have at least pretended to take care of our farmers. When we do something on one side, we seem to take with equal measure on the other side. As sugarcane farmers, we have complained for a very long time. The newly minted Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, the Senator for Bungoma County, will tell you that as long as you allow a wanton importation of sugar, you are hurting the local farmer in the sugarcane growing areas. That is the same situation now with wheat. I am quite surprised that Kenya would subscribe to such a situation, where we have farmers in Narok whose crop is literally rotting in their stores and yet we have allowed importation of wheat to this extent. The legal notice that the Senator has brought is a copy of the East African Community Gazette. There is a legal notice here that has been signed by Hon. Deng Alor Kuol who is the Chairperson and Council of Ministers for the East African Community (EAC). He is allowing a total of three million tonnes of wheat to be imported into the country. This is unacceptable. When we speak about these issues, some people say we do not like certain individuals in certain offices. The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning is a former Chairperson of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party. The ODM party, through the acting party leader, Hon. Anyang’-Nyong’o issued a statement on the same issue about two weeks ago. If he was a good man, he would have listened then. It would not take the Senator for Narok County to bring this matter before this House again before it is resolved. Hon. Speaker, I stand with the Senator for Narok County and the farmers in Narok County. We must give priority to our own people when they are trying to get themselves out of the economic mess. We cannot have our own farmers produce rotting and yet we are allowing importation of the same commodity we have in plenty here. This committee must have both the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning to appear before it and make sure that we put an end to this and get explanations. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am also getting tired of explanations. The farmers in Narok do not want an explanation. They want to be put in the right place in terms of compensation for what they have lost after putting their sweat in their land and being let down by their own Government. I thank you."
}
]
}