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{
"id": 1228450,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1228450/?format=api",
"text_counter": 236,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": "intends to put more than 400,000 hectares under irrigation; where investors will come and book portions. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the first lot of 20,000 hectares is ready in Galana Kulalu as we speak today. A company known as Twiga Feeds is planting maize. That will ensure that unlike the current situation where due to weather conditions and abolishment of the fertilizer subsidy programme in the last five years, many farmers quit the production of maize because it was not economically sustainable then. However, there is 20,000 hectares of maize being planted that will fill the deficit that comes when our farmers produce for us. That deficit, most of which is imported, enriches farmers of other countries in Pakistan, Indonesia, Zambia and all other places where we import our grains. There is no rocket science because we know how food insecure, we are. We know what the deficit is for each grain crop, whether it is rice, wheat or any other. Whatever grain we continue to import, fertile agriculture land should be provided for them to cultivate, produce and sell to the local mwananchi at a lower price. That is part of guaranteeing these economic and social rights. I do not intend to be long on this but in conclusion, allow me to speak on the issue of clean and safe water. When we resume the Session, one of the Bills I shall move here as the Senate Majority Leader, is the amendment to the Water Act to provide for water purchase agreements, so that investors come and invest in the water sector in this country, use their own money and recover. Kenyans can afford to buy water. However, the problem in many parts of this country is that even the water that Kenyans are willing to buy, is not available. If we rely on the Government alone to build dams, it will take many years. As the administration, we have ensured that we have generated water purchase agreements. That is part of the Bills we shall be moving here on the Floor of this House when we return. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if that Bill is enacted, it will guarantee that in every part of the country, there is access of clean, fresh water. That is part of what is guaranteed here under the economic social rights. There are many issues touching on social security, but we know what we are doing. Part of amendments that shall come here are those to do with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) – the ability to save is important so that in your old age, you can take care of yourself. We should not have this business of Kshs200. I have seen people try to oppose that policy move. You look at them and wonder. They do not have to like the administration for them to use common sense. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, how can you be saving Kshs200 and expect in your old age, when you will be 60 or 70 years, the same amount will sustain you? Unless you are mad! We want to provide reasonable social security that will be well invested, put in place governance structures under our social security fund where in our old age, we shall earn and have a good pension so that we do not disturb our children. The challenge we continue to have in this country is that when people retire, they turn back to their children who are barely beginning life. Before they even buy their first house, they have to struggle taking care of their parents. It is a vicious cycle of poverty,"
}