{"id":1382602,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1382602/?format=json","text_counter":98,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Nominated, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Dorothy Muthoni","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, allow me to thank Hon. Mary Emaase for co-sponsoring the Cotton Industry Development Bill (Senate Bill No.5 of 2023). Cotton is a cash crop which is an equaliser in this country. It is a very valuable crop as it does not need a lot of water to grow. It can grow both in arid and semi-arid areas. It will be an economic game changer for our country. I want to laud the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto as it is aimed at ensuring that all the counties in this country get value for what they are planting, including cotton seed. I want to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock because as it stands now, it is distributing cotton seedlings. This Bill is aimed at establishing a framework to manage and improve the production, processing, and marketing of cotton. It is a very important Bill and I wish we pass it so that it is given the urgency that it deserves."}