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{
    "id": 1012704,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1012704/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 383,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Bumula, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mwambu Mabongah",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13309,
        "legal_name": "Moses Wekesa Mwambu Mabonga",
        "slug": "moses-wekesa-mwambu-mabonga-2"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I want to thank the Chairman and his team, who traversed our region to come up with this Report. This is a serious matter, and as my colleagues have said, we will not give up in pushing the agenda of our people and the interest of this country. I am happy you are from the sugar region and I do not need to belabour so hard to convince you that almost 3,000 people lost their jobs because of poor management. As we speak, I am just wondering how this Report was tabled here last year, and we are debating it today. How long will it take before it is implemented? There is lack of commitment on our side. As it has been pointed out in this Report, if there is a serious commitment from the Government, people from my region will be happy. Last year, I visited Mauritius, a small country with a small portion of land, but they are doing farming. They export many tonnes of sugar. Through their Minister for Agriculture, we noted that people are serious and the management of those industries is in the hands of professionals who are ready to deliver. In our country, we reward people who have no knowledge of running factories. I am happy that the Committee has pointed out that there are serious management gaps in those industries. We must ensure that people who are hired to work in our factories that generate income and boost the economy are professionals. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, cheap sugar imports are coming into the country under the watch of the Government. There is always an open window given to some of those cartels to import sugar. Last year, we debated an issue of sugar that had been discovered at the former Pan Paper Factory. However, the report was not handled well. The factory is still there and imports are coming in. Once the window is opened and cartels import sugar, these other industries close. The little sugar from our industries has no market because the cost of production for our farmers is a challenge. If it were not for sugar-cane, some of us would not be here. Most kids have gone to school because of sugar-cane farming. We now have children who will miss education because their parents cannot afford to engage in any other activity. It is not easy to change a culture that has been built overtime, especially of the old farmers. As we cry right now, people are suffering. Our children are at home because they cannot pay schools fees. What is going to be done? I would request the Chairman, Mheshimiwa ole Kenta, to have a specific timeline of implementing this good Report. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I request that you add me just a minute to finish my point."
}