Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1257762,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1257762/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 213,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kamar",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 33,
        "legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
        "slug": "margaret-kamar"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my first degree is in agriculture. I know that there are crops that have been identified by Acts of Parliament. This Bill will shape mung beans to the same level as coffee or tea, which are crops that require processing and clear identification from others. One thing Sen. Wambua convinced me in the last Senate is that we can pick one bean and run with it. I am truly convinced because it is very important for us, as a country or region, to ask ourselves what exactly do we have as crops for exports. I like the fact that, in Part I, he has articulated that we want to provide a framework for the implementation of effective marketing strategies for the mung beans in Kenya and internationally. I say this because we have an open market with Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and East Africa Community (EAC). We now have an open market with European Union (EU) in addition to markets in the East, including China. In most cases, there are trade imbalances in this country as a result of exporting less and importing more from these countries. Therefore, we really need to identify a few products that can be exported. This is what this Bill is going to do. It will move the mung bean to the levels where we can export it, the same way we export coffee. I congratulate Sen. Wambua for providing a framework and facilitating a modern way of farming and processing the mung beans. We will upgrade it to the level where you can sell it to a supermarket in United States of America (USA), China and United Kingdom (UK). It will help us close the gaps on imports and exports. What we receive from all these countries is more than what we send. The question has always been imbalance. We were even discussing the same imbalances in the Pan-African Parliament (PAP). What do you have that can be sold? I was in the African, Caribbean and Pacific European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly for almost, in my seven years in Parliament, both at the National Assembly and Senate. The same questions are being asked during the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Kenya and EU that was signed the other day by the President. What do you have to sell to us? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, currently, we are exporting French beans, avocadoes and mangoes, which are fresh produces. However much we sell fresh produce, it is very difficult to process them. Therefore, the mung bean is going to be the gold in the beans sector once this Bill goes through. The research sector will research on special beans that can grow in all corners of the country. Apart from areas of Kitui which the beans do well, we will have enough."
}