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{
    "id": 1278564,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1278564/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 283,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Marakwet West, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Timothy Kipchumba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "function well, there must be arms of Government that check the excesses of other bodies. We have had KEBS and the PCPB for quite a long period. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has banned 207 pesticides, but they are still found on the shelves of agronomists in this country. Research was recently done, and it was found that most people diagnosed with cancer are farmers because they are the direct consumers of these products. On several occasions, this House has deliberated on the ban on those products. However, because of corruption, the need for a body to check the PCPB, and because the ministries charged with regulation have slept on their jobs, no oversight body checks on those competitive authorities. The establishment of the Office of the Food Safety Controller will be effective in checking the excesses of competitive authorities that have been established under different legislations. We must be very careful about this because there is a likelihood that there will be overlapping of duties and functions. The law must be clear so that the Controller can avoid stepping on the feet of other authorities established by law. Their oversight role needs to be defined. To what extent will the regulator regulate competitive authorities? The extent of the oversight must be very clear. On the second issue, I reject the proposal that we legislate on behalf of county governments. This House should provide a broad framework of issues. However, we cannot legislate on behalf of county governments. Our Constitution provides for the 47 county governments with their legislatures. They have county assemblies whose role is to legislate. We cannot usurp the powers of county assemblies through legislation passed by this House. We can only provide a broad framework, and then we leave county assemblies to provide the nitty-gritty so that we do not usurp their legislative powers, roles, and functions. If we are to set up a legislative oversight body under this law, it should be fully under the national Government so that we do away with the role of county governments on this matter. We have had problems with legislation coming from county assemblies, which has led to duplication of legislation by county governments. If county assemblies are to legislate on this, as the National Assembly, let us provide a broad framework, and then the Senate, which oversees county governments, can come up with the specifics of this legislation so that the National Assembly is not seen as usurping the powers of county assemblies. Hon. Temporary Speaker, because of time, I support the legislation on oversight. However, this House cannot and should not usurp the powers of county assemblies to legislate further on the nitty-gritty of the broad framework that this House shall pass."
}