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{
    "id": 1048905,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1048905/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 243,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13219,
        "legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
        "slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
    },
    "content": "Madam Deputy Speaker, this elevates members of this tribunal to almost the standards of magistrates. This is because they will be applying to the JSC. The same body that recruits a Chief Justice, judges of Supreme Court, Court of Appeal is the same body that will be recruiting members of this tribunal. This is very progressive. It also gives an equal opportunity to anybody who wants to serve in that tribunal to be given a chance to apply, be interviewed and then we only pick those who are most qualified to sit in that tribunal, which undertakes very serious functions. The issue of loans has been a nightmare to many cooperative societies. Many cooperative societies have lost their properties because of mismanagement by officials, or in instances where the office bearers take loans without full knowledge from members of cooperatives. They buy some prime properties in towns, but they wake and find that their properties have been sold because of loans that were taken by the officials. Madam Deputy Speaker, I am happy that this Bill makes it mandatory that you must register this charge within the county. It will be very easy. If there is speculation that officials have taken loans, then members can walk to the county headquarters and verify and they will also know why that particular cooperative society has taken a loan and what will be the use of that money that has been advanced by the bank. I really hope that this Bill can help us address the issue of management. When I was growing up, in Borabu we had a very vibrant cooperative society, which was called Eronge Cooperative Society. We used to milk our cows, and deliver the milk by the roadside. We had a car which used to pick the milk and deliver the milk to the Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) plant in Sotik. At the end of the month, farmers will go to Tindereti Market to receive their salaries. Therefore, marketing milk was never a problem. Hawking milk was unheard of those days. You will be surprised that that cooperative society is long dead. In the coffee sector, if you go to North Mugirango, you will find so many cooperative societies dealing with coffee. In Ekeronye Ward, there is one called Bisembe. There is another one in Bokeira; all these trying to bring farmers together, so that they can have a good market for their coffee. If you go to Kitutu, you will find there is one there called Gesonso. There is another one called Girango in Kimera area. There are so many cooperative societies. You will be surprised. These cooperative societies help our farmers to market their produce. Madam Deputy Speaker, by coincidence, this coming Friday, because of the importance that cooperatives play in the coffee sector, I have invited the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture, Hon. Munya, to come to Nyamira and address farmers on how they can benefit from the Coffee Fund and enhance the management of cooperative societies, so that there can be good returns from coffee farming. This amendment Bill that is before this House is going to assist our farmers who are engaging in farming. As we know, agriculture is the backbone of our economy to improve the way they can engage in marketing their produce. That is the only way our farmers can put more money into their pockets. Finally, Madam Deputy Speaker, the county governments have not played their mandate properly as envisaged in the Fourth Schedule of our Constitution. The role of the national Government is to deal with policy. That is all. The issue of how to improve 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."
}