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{
    "id": 1087966,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1087966/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 476,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Lang’at",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13189,
        "legal_name": "Christopher Andrew Langat",
        "slug": "christopher-andrew-langat"
    },
    "content": "It is so important to develop these children at this formative stage. Unless this element of milk is provided at this stage, it will hamper them intellectually in their future. It is important and we should not take it lightly. This is the stage where children require these supplements for their intellectual growth and more so in the development of their bones. Milk has an element of calcium which is very important to these children in their formative stage especially in the development of strong bones. This is a very important Bill that all of us should take seriously. Madam Temporary Speaker, secondly, it will also provide market for our milk locally. I support Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve when she said that it should not be a high time for the cartels to prepare so that after this Bill has been assented to become an Act it becomes their high time to import milk from other countries that has been processed and left to stay in stores for a long time. That may also bring a lot of health problems to our children. It should be restricted to supporting farmers in our country. We have seen farmers from various parts of this country especially the pastoralist communities and the Rift Valley region. This is where their milk has never been having good market. I do support this Bill because it will provide an internal market for our milk products in this country. Also, it will support the creating of employment to so many people who will go into dairy farming seriously because this will provide their livelihoods. This is a very important Bill that we should all support it. Madam Temporary Speaker, another one is that malnutrition in this country is real. I have witnessed this especially when I was a lecturer in Kericho Teachers Training College. We used to go to schools assessing our teachers. Very early in the morning, you could more often than not see children who are suffering. You could see malnutrition in children. Physically their concentration levels in class were so low. Most of them could sleep as early as 8.00 a.m. So, I tend to say that during the time when this program was in place in schools, I am telling you children were very healthy. Even during the rainy season, you could see children very healthy playing in the field and be happy about it. This program will ensure effective enrolment. There are so many children who are not able to go to school especially in Nairobi in slum areas because of lack of food. Madam Temporary Speaker, this program will ensure effective enrolment in our schools and also retention. There are so many children who are not able to continue with their basic education programs normally because of shortage of food. I am so sure that the moment this program comes into existence, it will enhance effective enrolment and retention of our children in schools."
}