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"id": 1008808,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
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"legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
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"content": "The reports tabled so far have covered the first three thematic areas extensively. We have covered health, economic and finance issues, social public order and human rights respectively. This 8th Report covers the two remaining thematic areas which are; access to food water and other basic commodities and support services and cross-cutting issues. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, even though we have covered those areas previously, it does not mean that we have now closed them. We are still redoing what we had agreed on and what is on the implementation matrix. In the next few days, we will be meeting with the National Emergency Response Team again, led by the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred Matiang’i and Cabinet Secretary, Prof. George Magoha, because the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is a rapidly evolving pandemic. Many things that we had agreed upon a month or two months ago have changed. Therefore, we need to keep playing that continuous oversight role, even as the situation keeps changing and evolving not just in Kenya, but globally as well. In relation to the Thematic Area Four on access to food, water and other essential commodities, we deliberated extensively on issues relating to continuous supply of food and other essential commodities and to control plant and livestock diseases. This is because ensuring continuity in food production and access to water and other social commodities is an issue that many people have ignored so far. We have met the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives. We have also met water service providers, the Wireless Application Services Providers Association (WASPA) and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS). The Committee further considered written submissions from the CS for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation. I would like to report that tomorrow, at 2.30 p.m., we will be meeting the Cabinet Secretary again, despite her having sent her submission. I would like to invite any Senator interested, as well as other diverse stakeholders who presented written submissions to the Committee. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, based on our analysis of the written memoranda received from the public and submissions made by key stakeholders, we have made the following preliminary observations and recommendations, which are detailed at Chapter Four of the Report. I hope that the Senators can access Chapter Four of the Report, because I do not want to exhaust my time. I think I have 45 minutes left, and would also like the Senators who are here to contribute. Therefore, I will not go into the specifics. Let me highlight the following. One, as a Committee, we commend early measures taken by national Government and county governments to ensure the continued production and distribution of food commodities across the country. Amongst these - maybe many Senators are not aware - was the creation of a food security wall room. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives is continuously monitoring farming food supply and consolidating emerging issues for appropriate action by concerned institutions and agencies. These measures have ensured that food prices have remained relatively stable. Of course, there have been some shifts, but if you compare us with many of our neighbours, 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."
}