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{
    "id": 140200,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/140200/?format=api",
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    "content": "that it is a region that requires a lot of harnessing particularly utilizing positively, the available resources including the rivers he has mentioned and others. That way, it can provide the capacity for the national power grid and also generate income. I believe that communities that neighbour those rivers should be bestowed with immediate benefits particularly because they have been affected. The sort of composition being accrued from them being affected by those projects should go directly into them earning a monthly income. This is unlike other arrangements where people are forced to move from the river banks completely for relocation to other places. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as I support, I would like to say that focus is very important for increasing power supply to the national grid and therefore, the generation of that income. Given what we are going through, the Western Belt is very fertile and rich, but the poverty index is very high. In fact, if you look at the sugar belt, they barely meet the minimum expected on nutrition. They are therefore, vulnerable to very simple preventable diseases. This is because they lack nutritious foods. I suggest that in tandem with this Motion, there should be more emphasis on working in conjunction with the regional development authorities in the respective areas. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation should also be involved so that more significant portion of power generated would go into pumping water for irrigation. There is need to diversify farming in this region for domestic, subsistence and commercial purposes. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we need to emphasize on biogas and solar energy. I want to congratulate the Ministry of Energy because in their component of electrification in rural areas, they have been very good. I want to laud the Minister because of his detail and passion. I am a witness to his focus and drive at the Ministry. That is why I have been thinking that some of these appointments of Ministers should come to non-Members of Parliament. We hope this will come. You can imagine if this Minister was sitting there, giving full attention to the Ministry given his intellectual endowment. I suspect that Mr. Chanzu was in the same Ministry as an Assistant Minister. That was many years back. He had a break for five years and he is back to Parliament now. These are issues that I think he should have implemented when he was in the Ministry. Perhaps, because of engagement with constituencies and political issues, his time was minimized. You can see the benefits of the Mover of the Motion and Mr. Keter. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to support this Motion with the full knowledge that diversification--- I want to mention that in Mukurweini Constituency, we have Agura River where the Ministry of Regional Development Authorities is initiating a mini-hydro project which is going to feed the national grid. This has been passed by the Treasury. Therefore, this Motion is going to instigate moves towards widening that sector, thus benefitting the national grid and local communities. I support this Motion with all my heart and I congratulate the Ministry of Energy for their work."
}