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{
    "id": 1017266,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1017266/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 18,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I support this Petition. This is a very important issue that these petitioners want this House to give attention to. This is because we pride ourselves as being an agricultural-based economy. Yet, due to the neglect and poor policies in the agricultural subsector, we import onions and tomatoes from Tanzania and maize from Uganda. Is this not a cause for alarm to those of us in leadership? I want to believe our colleagues who will get a chance to prosecute this Petition will not only give answers to the farmers, but must be able to come up with a concise report that will guide this House in giving recommendations as an answer to the Petition and also direct the Ministry of Agriculture on issues that have been raised. I believe that once a Committee is charged with a Petition, despite giving feedback to petitioners, one of the things that we must strive to do is to invite the people who make decisions at the policy level, the Cabinet Secretary, the Permanent Secretary and all people charged with that responsibility. We must bring to their attention some of these concerns. It is a shame that it has to take farmers in Trans Nzoia County to bring to the attention of the country via a Petition to the Senate. It is only a closed knit group of 200 farmers who nobody knows how they were chosen that supply seeds to the entire Republic. I have information and I know this for a fact that amongst the 200 farmers, there is a specific select group of about one or two that produce close to 70 or 80 per cent of the seeds. The rest are just an accompaniment to this bad arrangement that ensured that our farmers continue to buy seeds at exorbitant prices. This country is a free market. Why not open it up so that KSC can prequalify even if it on the basis of one or two years. Let us have people compete. Let us have farmers who have new and modern technology. I know that there are farmers in this country who can produce these seeds at 30 or 40 per cent of the cost that this special select group of 200 are using to produce. I know there are Members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries who are listening to this Petition that apart from just giving response and answers to these petitioners, I request that they invite the Cabinet Secretary in charge of agriculture subsector. Let them give answers to Kenyans and understand the rationale and logic that they have this as a closed knit business that is being enjoyed by a select few. Finally, these petitioners bring to the attention of this House the increasing cost of production for agricultural products in this country. We, as Senators, must give due attention as the Senate because all of us in one way or the other, are representatives of the farmers. It is unfortunate that this Government makes decisions in a way that is not proper and in sync with the demands of the Constitution. There is discrimination in agricultural policies. I know Sen. Wetangula has spoken to this. You remember on the issue of coffee when we set up the Coffee Fund, the five factories that were picked as the pilot areas for that crop are from one region. 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."
}