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{
    "id": 1281159,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1281159/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 1199,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dagoretti North, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Elachi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "When I look at this Bill and, more importantly, the Tribunal under Article 43 shall have the powers of the High Court… We have faced too many challenges, especially for us who are farmers. I am also headed to western to speak about it and awaken the people there. They need to realise that we cannot have the private ginneries functioning very well while the factories that the Government runs are the ones that keep on collapsing. This, in turn, goes down with the money meant for farmers. The Government has, however, come up with a fantastic proposal to waive all the debts so that we start on a clean slate. Sugar is one of the commodities that is very emotive. It has serious business people who would wish to kill all factories for them to import more sugar to this country. Even as we bring in this Bill, we ask the Government to support this. The President is supporting this. We must ensure that we start making our factories like Nzoia and Mumias, which are spoken about daily in functions… We want to see some mitigation measures put in place. This will ensure that even if one imports sugar, they should do so when there is no Sugar in our local factories. If we say, \"Buy Kenya, build Kenya,\" it is important for us as a country to appreciate that it will not be business as usual the way we have been joking with our country and factories. Most farmers in the upper and lower western regions' catchment areas have decided to do other types of farming. Sugarcane farmers are demoralized and have become poor. Towns in these regions have also gone down. As we speak, it is only fair we ensure that this Bill passes. We want to see transformation back in the agricultural sector, mainly the Sugarcane sector. With this, we shall see farmers get incentives like the other crops. This will encourage the farmer to do sugarcane farming once again. The other thing is how farmers have been frustrated. While we waive the money, we must also go back to farmers and do serious public participation to encourage sugarcane farmers to appreciate and start farming again. I have a few minutes left so that other Members will also have a chance to contribute. However, I encourage every farmer in the western region to go and register so that they can tap in from every incentive that the Government offers, be it sugarcane or maize farming. That is why I support this Bill. Ultimately, we will ensure the amendments brought do not give sugar importers in this country more power than Kenyan farmers. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to support."
}