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{
    "id": 1230369,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1230369/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 388,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Marsabit County, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Naomi Waqo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "In 2018, the then Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri, said that Kenya was losing over Ksh440 billion annually by failing to fully exploit the Blue Economy. I do not think that we have changed that situation even to date. That is why we need to invest so that we get the Ksh440 billion that the former CS, who is currently an MP in this Honourable House alluded to. It is a lot of money that can be injected into our economy. As I said, we are aware that this country has great opportunity, especially on employment, and I want to urge the nominated Chairperson to give it the face of the country because where I come from, we are not associated with fish. We are known for the love of meat consumption. In employment, many a-times we are not considered. I want to request that the Blue Economy sector be considerate enough to give us the face of the country on employment. I also want to talk about the fishermen and women. In the 12th Parliament, I was a member of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in the Senate, and we visited some of our lakes. The fishermen there described the difficulties they face. Clearly, they have been taken advantage of in the past. As a consequence of exploitation on the job, women have been subjected to sexual harassment, and some of them have admitted to us that they are now HIV-positive. Some of them are single mothers who have no money and depend on themselves. There are people who take advantage and exploit them when it comes to marketing their produce. Special attention should be given to the poor people who work hard for the economy of those areas. This will protect the interests of all Kenyans and that they will gain from this activity. I would also like to touch on the other farmers in the other parts of the country. Now that as a country and a Government, we are giving a lot of attention to farming and promoting local businesses, I want to urge the current Chairperson of the Blue Economy and the parties concerned to make sure that they encourage many households to have fishponds as a source of income for their families and it becomes a national activity. We should be proud of our own produce and make sure that we also take care of our health. Fish is very healthy. Adults above 40 years are encouraged to avoid red meat and that means that we need fish for sustenance. Considering the drought and the seasons, fish may not be negatively impacted. As somebody said, you may not need any medicine or food as long as there is enough water. We need to focus more on encouraging every citizen to invest in fish farming for the betterment of our health and economy. It should become part of our lifestyle. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}