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{
    "id": 1342608,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1342608/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 211,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I have provided very elaborate tables and answers from Page 20 to this Question. Between the period 2019 and 2023, the company received a bailout from the Government through the Agricultural Food Authority (AFA) aimed at addressing farmers’ arrears and factory maintenance as detailed in Table I on Page 20. I have Table I (a) and Table II (b). Table 1 (a) talks about disbursement in batches. Table II (b) provides dates when this happened. I have the bailout factory maintenance presented in Table III. I would prefer that if there are any specific questions after this, I will follow up because I have provided these tables to show the details. The supplementary question on the plan to privatise state-owned sugar mills goes way back in 2015. The Privatisation Commission approved the sale of Government stakes in the five sugar companies, that is: South Nyanza, Nzoia, Chemelil, Muhoroni and Miwani. The current status is: Following the Cabinet meeting held in Sagana State Lodge on 8th August 2023, the President and his Cabinet vacated the earlier decision to privatise the five sugar mills. I wanted to make sure I state that because this House has debated the recent arrangement and they are familiar and happy with the process. Finally, implementation of the Taskforce Report, 2019 is provided on Page 23. I have provided some details. We are saying that it is on course and spearheaded by the State Department for Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture. It is important to note that the progress has been slow because of the resistance from the stakeholders which is necessitated by the abandonment of the privatisation model in favour of the recent model. The National Treasury has continued to support the Ministry as reflected by the bailouts that have been shown on the farmers’ arrears and factory maintenance. I want to refer to a meeting that was held in the Lake Region and the conference held in Kakamega on 8th and 9th of September, 2023. The stakeholders made recommendations on the following areas among others as noted in the Taskforce Report, 2019, validation of the taskforce report, establishment of a sugar board, sugar board to handle levies and not commodity funds, regional clusters, reinstatement of the Sugar Act, need for sugar regulations and waiving of debts. This is the report that is being followed up by the current stage of recent arrangements."
}