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{
"id": 1398615,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398615/?format=api",
"text_counter": 265,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I have noted Clause 5(b) and I am very happy because it talks about the extension services. I have my Bill which is already at the National Assembly. I am happy to see that the Board adheres to services such extension for the farmers. Officers that shall be put within the county in the different offices will ensure research is going to be done as stipulated in the Bill. The Bill stipulates that there be a Sugar Research and Training Institute. It is very key. Proper investment in good research institutes will ensure that the yields will be maximum; the quality will be high and this is a benefit to both the farmers and to the market itself. Research is very key and I am happy to see the extension services in it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have noted that in Clause 6 it says- “the board shall comprise of--- The total number in place is nine. It talks about five representatives elected by the growers, two representatives elected by the private sector, the Principal Secretary from the Ministry, and all that. I have looked at other Bills, and when it comes to the composition of board members, the gender issue is very important. Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) are also very important. It is in my proposal that the Committee should, in terms of this Clause, apart from the nine members, add, like, two other members, for example, so that after the election, since at the election point, you cannot probably be able to determine if it is going to be this gender or this particular gender, but any additional will allow the members who are less in terms of gender, to add a member and this takes care of both genders. If women are more, then men cannot get an opportunity to have an additional person on the board. If men are more, women will have an opportunity to add one more person. In that regard, the opportunity for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) who need also to be part of this representation of the board will have an opportunity as far as that additional number is concerned. It will be wise and positive that the Committee ensures during the amendment, they can be able to consider that fact so that everyone is well represented in it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, on Clause 6(iii), on the Board of Directors, it says- “Unless a person holds at least a degree or its equivalent in any discipline from any institution---” I have always disagreed with this fact very much. People are seconded to different institutions, to different levels of their work mandates but then I always ask the question - if we have had qualified students from our great learning institutions who have taken their time and identified their lines of discipline in education that they are studying, for example, the field of agriculture, why is it this being an agricultural area, that we should open it up and say, a degree or its equivalent in any discipline? Does it mean even someone who has done psychology is qualified? I am not demeaning, but of course, it is a completely very different field from the agricultural field. What about the students, the personnel who have taken their time and narrowed their education career to matters of agriculture? It would be wise for the Chairperson and the committee to give consideration or priority to degrees as far as the agricultural field is concerned, of course, from a Kenyan-recognised institution. There is no problem with that, but it should be much more specific so that our students who are out there, who have The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}