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{
    "id": 1379756,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1379756/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 152,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Matayos, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Geoffrey Odanga",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The Member of Parliament for Nambale will confirm that the ginnery in Nambale is no longer operational, the same as that in Malakisi. The only ginnery that seems to be operational is the one in Muluanda. All these ginneries were helpful to our farmers. We need to go back to cotton farming. Other than being a source of textiles, cotton farming produces cotton cakes and oils. It was an important economic activity in the regions where it was practised. This industry collapsed because of poor leadership. One day, a former President of the country said that even his ministers wore mitumba clothes. This alone encouraged many people to go into selling second-hand clothes, and they forgot about farming. This country has not taken manufacturing very seriously in the past. I am happy that the current and last parliaments have seriously scheduled some crops that will help the country go back to where it was in the 70s and 80s. The Departmental Committees on Agriculture in the 12th and 13th Parliaments have taken the scheduling of crops very seriously. They have brought back crops like coffee, tea, cotton, sugarcane, coconut, and many other crops so that Kenyans can earn a living. Cotton is very critical in the value chain as it benefits the farmer. We want this Bill to bring good provisions to benefit the farmers, millers, and any other person along the value chain. If this is done, the 13th Parliament will go down as one that took care of the interests of Kenyans. The Chairperson has talked about the Malabo Declaration, which Kenya has not implemented. In 2022, our budget for Agriculture was 2.8 per cent. We need to put our feet forward to ensure that we improve our budgetary allocations for agriculture to 10 per cent so that we make a difference. In the 80s, we were known as an agricultural country. “ Kilimo ndiouti wa mgongo wa Taifa letu ” was a common slogan. We need to go back to this. We have to engage in manufacturing and agriculture to empower our people. I support the Bill. I also urge other Members to support it so that we go down in history as a Parliament that thought about our people."
}