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{
    "id": 1052346,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1052346/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 35,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Roysambu, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Isaac Ndirangu",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2701,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Waihenya Ndirangu",
        "slug": "isaac-waihenya-ndirangu"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I wish to thank my Chair for moving the Motion very competently. I rise to second by saying that the work of the grain bulk handling at the Port of Mombasa is very critical to this country and the entire East Africa including Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and generally the Great Lake Region. Why was this enquiry and study necessary? I wish to remind Members that Standing Order No.216(5) and (6) mandates this Committee to investigate and enquire into all matters related to the assigned ministries and departments as they deem necessary. Another mandate is to examine treaties, agreements and conventions. So, our assignment was to go to the Port of Mombasa and other related facilities with a view to inquire how useful they are to the country. In doing so, the background of our tour was necessitated by agitation from other stakeholders who wanted to know, among other things, why there has been monopoly for grain handling at the Port of Mombasa. Some of these stakeholders include the Cereal Millers Association, Kenya Ships Agents Association, Kenya Transporters Association, Kenya Freight and Forwarders Association and the Kenya Ports Authority. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we needed to understand the situation before the Grain Bulk Handlers Limited was engaged by the Government. There was a very serious problem of congestion at the port with many ships having docked, but there were no facilities to offload all the cargo that was coming. This congestion led to huge losses in demurrage, delays in discharging cargo and waste as some of the cargo would expire while still on the ship. Grain bulk handling involves investing in building silos and warehouses which require huge storage facilities and investment. While we were discussing with the stakeholders, it came to our attention that their main complaints were that the Grain Bulk Handlers Limited appeared to have been given special status. Considering that business at the Port of Mombasa has risen to millions of tonnes, we felt it was necessary for an opening to be created for other players. In our recommendation, the Committee has insisted that other players should be licensed to bring competition and fairness in grain bulk handling. The Committee has also recommended that the Government should invest hugely under the Public Private Partnerships framework in grain bulk handling infrastructure. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I wish to second."
}