Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1282185,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1282185/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 231,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ugunja, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Opiyo Wandayi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Therefore, I must thank Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe, the Member for Navakholo and Chairperson of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture (PIC-SSA&A). If this Bill is enacted into the Kenya Sugar Act, it will be re- introducing the Kenya Sugar Board with all its previous powers under a re-defined mandate and a more focused approach to the issues of sugar development. Therefore, I must thank Hon. Wangwe for playing a part as a legislator and being part of history in terms of reviving the ailing sugar sector, which is a source of livelihood to millions of Kenyans - especially in the Western Kenya region, and particularly in my constituency of Ugunja, where for a long time we have grown sugarcane that is processed by Mumias Sugar Company. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I do not want to go into details of how the sugar sector found itself where it is currently. We must admit that there are people responsible for the decline and we must watch out for them as we enact this Bill into law. Sugar has become a cash cow for the who-is-who in the leadership of this country. This sector has been milked dry by people in authority right from the Executive, Members of this House and the management teams of various sugar mills, especially public-owned ones. In this country, there are people who have become billionaires as a result of milking dry the sugar sector. We know them. Some sugar factories in Western Kenya are on their knees as a result of pilferage and theft by persons who are known. Some of them are in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). They used to be in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). They would go round showing off their ill-gotten wealth, trying to intimidate people. We must call them to account for their actions some day. Hon. Temporary Speaker, spare me from the interventions by Hon. Baya Yaa and Hon. Ochieng’. Hon. Wamboka wants to give information."
}