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{
    "id": 1184328,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1184328/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 363,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kapenguria, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Samwel Chumel",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "come up such that we are now lifting the ban without any explanation? That is what Kenyans want to know. In the mid-1970s, coffee farmers were doing very well until a black market for coffee was started at a place called Chepkube in Uganda – a place which borders Kenya. All the people who were supposed to buy coffee from Kenya went there to buy our produce. That action brought coffee farming down and farmers are still crying. The same case applies here. There were scientists before who advised the Government, which advice led to the ban on supply of GMO products to Kenya. I do not know the kind of scientists who have advised the current Government to lift that ban without alerting its people and giving them reasons as to why they want to bring GMOs into the country. Some of us come from areas where we depend on relief food, but we cannot accept food that will kill us. We better fight with our hunger than eat poison that will shorten our lifespan. We need to be serious about this matter because we are the representatives of the people of Kenya. From 1997 to 2002, the price of maize was brought down by the system. I remember that at one time a bag of maize was selling at Ksh300. It is only when the late Hon. Kibaki was in power and, more so, between 2003 and 2007 that price of maize went up to more than Ksh2000 per bag. We need to be reasonable and forget about politics when we are here. Let us care about the lives of the people. If we go back into history, we will find out what made the Government at that time to ban GMO foods. I do not understand why somebody can now sit in a meeting with about 20 to 25 people and decide to lift the ban on GMOs. In fact, we are more in this House than the number of people that were in that Cabinet meeting. I am a Christian and, therefore, I cannot encourage sins. When things are wrong, we say they are wrong. When things are good, we agree with them. I come from Kapenguria Constituency in West Pokot, which neighbours Trans-Nzoia. I also have a farm in Trans-Nzoia. As my colleague from Kwanza Constituency has said, I also have 1,900 bags of maize in my store because I am afraid of selling it at a throw-away price. I harvested many bags of maize after spending a lot of money to grow the maize. As I support the Motion, I plead with Members of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and the rest of us in this House to engage with the Government and the Cabinet Secretary so that they can stop playing with us. This Government has begun playing with us very early. If they mess with us this early, how are they going to …"
}