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{
    "id": 1399269,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399269/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 259,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "there is enough supply in the country but at the same time caution our farmers and ensure that you do not open the market for cheap imports from other parts of the world to the detriment of our poor farmers. I am impressed that in this Bill, we shall be returning to the good old days of the sugar directorate just like we did with the Tea Bill. Where you have a board that is dedicated and specific people with organic knowledge on a particular area and field, where if things go wrong, you can take on that particular board chair or members. I like the fact that even in this Bill; we are proposing the election of representatives to this board so that the people of Narok where Sen. Olekina comes from, a key sugarcane-growing county with immense potential, will have an opportunity to elect a representative to this Board. This applies as well to the rest of our colleagues; so that if we find ourselves in a situation such as we are today; where cheap imports are competing with sugarcane produced in our various factories, we will take on our board members and ask; who granted this approval? What were the statistics that guided you in making this particular decision? Therefore, I am particularly impressed with the direction we are taking. Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale is not here but Whip Sen. Ledama and Sen. Sifuna are here, I request that, if possible, once Members have debated this Bill, either today or tomorrow, before we proceed on recess, if we can do Committee of the Whole on Thursday, it will be an important exercise. Sen. Sifuna, you know this for a fact and I see many times that when you go to functions, for example, in the western belt of the country and even in my own country of Kericho - in the sugarcane growing areas, farmers are getting jittery with us, as Senators, and continue to ask: “What happened? This Bill came to you more than a year ago. You are taking too long with it.” I hope that we will conclude on the Bill, so that it proceeds to the National Assembly, they either agree or disagree with our amendments; we do the mediation and give sugarcane farmers a new lease of life. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it continues to break my heart that each time you travel to the former giant town or ‘city’ of Mumias, the epitome of the failed industry that used to be the sugar industry. A town was thriving back in the 1990s and early 2000 when Mumias Sugar Company was roaring in profitability. They did many things including, running of schools and social programmes like football clubs. Some of the best footballers that we produced came from the teams that were being supported by the various sugar industries. Today, you cannot speak of the same. Not to forget the millions of livelihoods that were affected by the collapse of our industry. I am impressed with the proposal that is made in this Bill. First, to convert and remove sugar as directorate from Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and set up this sugar directorate. The introduction of sugar levy that will particularly be used to first do cane development, an extremely important exercise that provides stability to our farmers. Many times, you travel to countries like Mauritius, you will see they have a farmers’ bank. Apart from having a farmers’ bank, the last time I was in that important country that grows its cane, they had a sugar bank. There is nothing else they can do other than provide capital support to their farmers so that they can develop their farms in good time. 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."
}