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{
    "id": 1374040,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1374040/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 121,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "The most important thing is; if you cannot feed yourself, then you cannot even speak before men and women. That is the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in as a country as we turn over 60 years. Therefore, there are proposals on how to ensure that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, farmers must be respected. I one time travelled to the United States of America (USA), I cannot remember the exact state. While we were queuing at the airport, there was a very interesting signage. It said, “If you are a farmer or a military person, please jump the queue.” This is because, the military men secure the country while the farmers feed us. They should not queue, let them be served first. That kind of thinking needs to guide us, as a country. Remember, we find ourselves in this situation because we have neglected our farmers over the years. Many people have quit farming or agriculture generally, as a means of livelihood because it is not profitable. The money is with the cartels. Therefore, there are proposals and other Bills that were under consideration on the Floor of the Parliament with regard to that. These are Bills dealing with coffee, sugarcane, tea, cotton, pyrethrum and others. On the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, I do not need to take time and repeat that. I have already explained the challenge that we ran into. However, I look forward to having a bi-partisan conversation. As I said and I repeat, if we miss this opportunity to address the two-thirds gender rule question during the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) Report consideration phase, the House of Parliament will not be able to raise any other quorum at any given time to address that question. We must find ways of introducing whatever amendments necessary so that we resolve this issue. Having looked at all the formulas brought before this House and those that came before NADCO, the Senate route still continues to be one of the most practical. For example, if right now you applied it as an affirmative position in the National Assembly with the small modification, then it means, that House will be compliant. It will only include addition of the county women Member of Parliament (MP) position which will actually just be less than 35 women MPs added into the House. We already have the 47 women representatives not forming part of the overall equation. The wording for that was already available to us. It is only that people held a different view to it. We will listen to your conversations about it. On governance and issues, including promoting national unity and inclusivity, we have said that, legislative interventions should guide the process. Many people from all counties came to us feeling marginalised in their counties. By the way, it is not just from the counties that have interesting ethnic dynamics such as Migori and Trans Nzoia counties with the Kurias and the Sabaots respectively, but even from counties such as Homa Bay. Sen. Ogola, it will interest you to know that there is a clan that came and said they had never come close to leadership. I have forgotten the name of the clan."
}