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{
    "id": 1399268,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399268/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 258,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "First, I congratulate my colleague, Sen. Wakoli, a new Member in this House but has quickly studied and established himself into the ways and practices of legislative culture. Today, he has moved a Bill of an important industry in this Republic. He has done so with zeal and dedication. Over the last few weeks, I have consulted with him and listened to the stakeholders of this industry when they came to present before Sen. (Dr.) Murango’s Committee. I made sure to find time and go listen. I always try to create time, although I am not a Member of any Committee as the Senate Majority Leader, to listen especially to presentations before the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, touching on issues to do with the livelihood of our farmers. I would not wish to one day pass a Bill in this House that would end up affecting negatively, the livelihood of the people I represent. I represent sugarcane farmers. Kericho is more known for tea, but three constituencies in the southern part of the county to be specific, have sugarcane plantations. They are so lush, green, well-manicured and equally useful to the economy of the County of Kericho just like tea. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, a few days ago, I had visited a friend in Trans-Nzoia and later on, I was to visit another friend who lives closer to Lake Kanyaboli in Siaya County. As I traversed from Trans-Nzoia to Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga and eventually to Siaya and back to Kericho, I could not help notice the quality of cane that my farmers in Kericho continue to cultivate. I was extremely proud of them because even the pilot we were with on that journey, commented on the dedication of our farmers and the kind of work they continue to do. Many Senators in this House do not perhaps appreciate and know how much potential sugarcane farming has in their specific counties and how much it can alleviate millions of their constituents out of poverty if we manage this sector better. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is unfortunate that we allowed this sector to collapse due to greed and the many people who wanted to make a quick kill and money out of this industry. The quickest way to make money out of the sugar sector is to open importation where people purchase from either Uganda and other Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) or non-COMESA countries. This is because, statistically, every four or five years, there is a sugar deficit in the COMESA zones. On such occasions, you will find that countries in the COMESA region open up for importation of sugar from non-COMESA regions. The closest season was in 2022, towards the end and the entire 2023. This was a phenomenon that was observed in almost all East African countries; from Tanzania, Uganda to the rest of the COMESA region, where there was a shortage. Therefore, unscrupulous business people have, over the years, taken advantage instead of only importing during that particular season, because of the money they make in that particular season, they want to extend that culture over and above even beyond periods, which our own farmers can produce. If we do not put the checks and balances--- I am particularly impressed that in this Bill, we are proposing the creation and setting up of the sugar board. This is a return to back in the days where the sugarcane was thriving in the villages. Where you had a board that would guide the operations and would even give approval complete with statistics of what is expected deficit of sugar in the country. They would only open up importation only to shore up the numbers, ensure 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."
}