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{
"id": 1157612,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1157612/?format=api",
"text_counter": 360,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13131,
"legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
"slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
},
"content": "In our country, we need to seriously rethink of agriculture. I am glad that this Bill is one of those that is undoing the terrible policy misadventure that was there through Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), by first, focusing on the sugar sector. We have done something on tea, there is what is going on with coffee, but in this sugar industry and many other industries we are staring at a crisis. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have studied these prices. I was on a call a few weeks ago with one of the leading global consultancy groups McKinsey and Company. They are forecasting now, because of the crisis in Ukraine, Kenya will be affected. We import 70 per cent of our wheat from Ukraine and Russia. The bulk of potash that is used for fertilizer also comes from there. If we have not done what we call a basic commodity subsidy law, then we will have done a de-service to Kenyans. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, that oil that is at Kshs400 now from Kshs 250 is going to go to Kshs600 in the next three weeks. We will be here and we will, talk about it unless that subsidy is done. You and I possibly could afford, but the bulk of Kenyans cannot. Remember that person in a mjengo who I said cannot buy that chapatti; his job is at stake. Cement has gone from Kshs500 to Kshs650 and now it is close to Kshs1,000. We need to think as a Government, but we are now focused on politics. Everybody out there even that CS, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries is talking about politics. The CS in charge of Devolution and Planning comes from Trans Nzoia. Agriculture is the core of this country and his county and yet he was overheard saying that fertilizer has gone down. People asked him whether he lives in planet Mars. The CS, Hon. Eugene Wamalwa is from Trans Nzoia, the bread basket of Kenya and yet he was saying that the Government has reduced fertilizer to Kshs2,000. the Government is aloof on these things. We, as the representatives of the people, must speak about them. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, coming now to this Bill on sugar, sugar is a cause of poverty in a large part of the western part of Kenya. I know it because I have roots in that area. This Bill talks about the catchment area. At our home in Kitale we have some acreage under sugar. I have been convincing people there that we are wasting time with this thing. You become just a cashier. You put in money and by the time you get the money you are paying debts. Yet people in other parts of the country and making much more money from other crops. Maize and sugar has caused poverty in western province yet we have some of the most fertile land. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in your part of country, people are doing horticulture and on a small acreage. Your people are billionaires. In western, people have land yet they are poor. We must change our thinking. Today you can import sugar. A packet has come from Brazil, processed, produced, packaged and gone on the ship to Mombasa, paid its taxes, it is put on a truck and comes to the gate of Mumias Sugar Company and is cheaper than the one you are getting from the factory right there. Then there is a problem. We must talk to it radically. Many politicians are afraid of telling people that we try doing these things, but is it really profitable. I remember a time when His Excellency, the Deputy President, William Ruto told farmers to get into avocado farming and they almost lynched him, but now it is our green gold. Everyone is getting into avocado farming. I have a neighbour doing 800 acres now of avocado. He is exporting the avocado and minting money. We are stuck in our"
}