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{
    "id": 1279517,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1279517/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 574,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Navakholo, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We are bringing the Constitution of Kenya 2010 into this Bill. If you look at the AFFA Bill, it fails to recognize that aspect of devolution. We want to see the extension officers getting to the farmers; the researchers carry out the various types of research regarding the soil samples and what fertilizers to apply where. We want to see these people back, so in this Bill, we recognise that county government is devolved, agriculture is devolved, but what happens when it comes to sugar cane has to be adhered to in terms of the concession. Let me go through the clauses, and I would like to single out Clause 6 of the Bill, which outlines the composition of the Board. The Bill seeks to have a Board chaired by an executive chairperson elected by the Board from among the representatives of growers on the Board and appointed by the Cabinet Secretary. We are bringing on board the Executive, so that they still appoint. Let the person who is being appointed be elected by the farmers and the various growers. The Cabinet Secretary reserves the right to refuse if the proposed person is not right. Secondly, we need five representatives from each sugar cane catchment area elected by growers as per the first schedule. If you check the First Schedule, you will see that the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock has made a different proposal which we will look at in the Committee of the whole House. The above was our initial proposal. I propose that one representative be elected by millers knowledgeable in sugar, technology, and value addition. We reserve one slot for the millers to complete the value chain. We have agronomy in agriculture, the Government, the industry, and the miller representing those manufacturing sectors. We have to comply with the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and introduce the Principal Secretary in the Ministry for the time being responsible for matters relating to agriculture. We need one person nominated by the Council of County Governments because it plays a role and the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury and Economic Planning. Finally, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) shall be an Ex-officio Member and Secretary of the Board. Clause 14 (2) outlines the qualifications of the CEO. Part III of the Sugar Bill 2022 gives the Board absolute powers to license sugar mills and jaggeries. The Clause 18(2) of the proposed Bill suggests that those who run unlicensed sugar mills or jaggery mills shall be liable to fines as high as Ksh10 million or a five-year jail term. You will realise that a lot of violation is going on. If you look at how AFFA came up to close such issues, it was out of the violation. I hope to give directions, but they do not obey. Therefore, if you do not obey, we impose fines. Clause 21 of the Bill limits the business of processing industrial sugar to licensed millers. There is a difference between the industrial sugar and the white sugar. Currently, there is the issue of mercury sugar which came as a result of an importer wanting to blend, grind and indicate that he is importing it as industrial sugar. We are leaving that Clause to licensed millers only so that we do not have every Tom, Dick, and Harry importing industrial sugar. Part 5 of the proposed Bill elaborates on establishing the Kenya Sugar Research Institute that shall be headed by the Chairperson appointed by the Cabinet Secretary to promote, coordinate and regulate research in sugarcane and sugarcane diseases. They should expedite equitable access to research information resources and technology. Research is vital to the sugarcane industry. We will have to establish the Kenya Sugar Research Institute. Currently, we have an inactive one in Kibos. Let us fund that institution. Let us research various varieties. Let us research soil sampling. The soil type in Emuhaya accommodates a different variety of cane, unlike soil in Navakholo, especially in Nambacha and Isokhe, where I come from. Soils could be different. This will also help promote the application of research findings and technology in sugar development, among others. Part 5 of the Bill provides for the appointment and functions of crop inspectors. Crop inspectors are key. We want people to walk around and tell us what made our cane production come down because our aging parents never attended school. My mother never went to school, 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."
}