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{
    "id": 1354743,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1354743/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 97,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13199,
        "legal_name": "Enoch Kiio Wambua",
        "slug": "enoch-kiio-wambua"
    },
    "content": "I remember my grandfather’s identifier was No.123. So, everybody in the family would brand their animals 123, but they would know that they have a specific identifier for their specific animals within the larger family identification. On the same Part II on branding, I see the Senator is proposing that in Clause six, every livestock owner shall apply to the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for registration in their name of a brand of such nature and dimension as shall be prescribed in county legislation. I would urge and request the promoter of the Bill to remove the burden of the requirement for registration from the livestock owner and put that burden on the county government. It becomes the responsibility of the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) responsible for Agriculture and Livestock in each county to ensure that all animals in the county are branded and can be easily identified. Clause 6(c) is on the requirement for the registration of the brand. Under Clause (c), there is a fee that is required of every livestock owner who applies for a brand. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have many livestock owners who cannot afford the fees to register a brand. I am thinking of a peasant farmer in Kitui who has one or two goats. According to this Bill, it will be a crime to own an animal, which does not have registered brand. A farmer who has only two or even one goat, how are they supposed then to apply and register a brand for their one goat? If they do not do that, then they will lose the goat or will be fined. Part IV of the Bill is extremely punitive. If you are the owner of a goat and you have not registered a brand for it, then you are in breach of the law. According to this Bill, you should be imprisoned for a time not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding Kshs100,000. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I know Sen. Cherarkey minds the interest of the people he calls ‘Hustlers’. Therefore, he should reconsider tightening that part of the Bill, so that you do not make poverty to be an offence. It is not a crime to be poor. Let that person who has one goat have time to multiply the goats to get to 10 or more. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me finalise because I know other Senators also want to contribute to this Bill. Part III of this Bill talks about the movement of livestock. It is a very interesting Section of this Bill. This part of the Bill introduces an officer called an Inspector. According to this Bill, one of the major duties and responsibilities of the Inspector is to ensure that permits are issued for the movement of livestock from the premises of the owner to any another place either for slaughter or the market, which is a good thing to do. However, Sen. Cherarkey should remember that is a function currently undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. There is a requirement today that before you move animals, especially from one county to another county, you must obtain a no objecting letter from the recipient county. Therefore, the promoter of the Bill will need to harmonize that role of the Inspector and the Ministry Official, who would be issuing the ‘no objection’ letter. However, what has caught my attention in this Bill in that provision is that if this Bill goes through, perhaps, the problems that I have been facing in Kitui of camel herders, who invade our land, could be a problem of the past."
}