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{
"id": 1228875,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1228875/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
"slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
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"content": "The President is proposing cultivating of over one million acres of land in Galana- Kulalu and giving subsidized fertilisers to farmers in Bomet, Siaya and Kakamega. I am happy that this is also happening in Busia County. We are now planting quality and affordable seeds. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, over the Easter Holiday, the President himself led the nation in planting. I also planted in my small way, but my shamba is small, so I could not take a photo. However, the President has shown the nation that you can do something from wherever you are. That is why we are challenging the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) in future to purchase subsidised fertiliser in November. This is so that by November, December and January, farmers should have subsidised fertiliser. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if KNTC brings subsidised rice after 14th April this year, we, in my region, will have closed the planting season. I also request that they diversifyy subsidised fertiliser to include coffee, tea, sugar cane and even mung beans from Ukambani. My “brother”, Ngusya is there. We must agree to approach the issue of hunger through 3D. We do not just look at it from the normal angle. I thank the President because he is working towards freeing Kenyans from hunger. Therefore, when this Bill comes, it will have a role to play as Sen. Mungatana, MGH, said, because the KNHRC is given an opportunity. Hon. Senators, from the other side, respectfully, you do not need to carry sufurias or the cooking pot on your heads. We need to agree, go back to the farm, do proper farming, get enough food, take down the sufuria and go cook that food for the benefit of all Kenyans. That is the only way we will change. Even if we do a bipartisan approach and discuss the cost of living and unga subsidy and what have you, it is not sustainable. Any person who stepped in a class of Economics knows that subsidies are never sustainable. You saw the fuel subsidy where Kshs34 billion could not be accounted for. In fact, we had to censure the Cabinet Secretary of Energy in the previous “handshake” Government - where the political godfather of Sen. Oketch Gicheru - was a big brother in that engagement. The case was the same for the unga subsidy. On the issue of cost of living and food, I ask my brothers to allow farmers in Migori, Nandi, Kakamega, Bomet and Mandera to go back to farming. We can do irrigation in Galana-Kulalu. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, even as we talk today, I am told floods are wreaking havoc in the northern part of Kenya. Why do we not use water pans and harvesting dams so that during the dry season, we can do irrigation and get enough and sufficient food? President Mbingu wa Mutharika in Malawi ensured that that country became food secure from food insecurity through what the President is doing-provision of subsidy in production. By the way, if a country cannot provide food for its people, it is a threat to national security. I thank the President and we need to actualize this. Since I want to finish with the issue of water. The President and the Government has committed to build 100 dams. For example, in my county, Nandi, we are building Keben Dam which will cost about Kshs10 billion. On the border of Kericho, Nandi and Kisumu counties, there is Soin Koru Dam, that is around Kshs30 billion."
}