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    "id": 144720,
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    "content": "results, it was decided that an independent authority be appointed to test the maize. That was the reason. Mr. Speaker, Sir, to respond to Dr. Khalwale’s question, I have no doubt about the competence of KEBS. I was one of the first professional officers to be employed by KEBS. I know the capacity that they have, and their laboratories. However, if KEBS comes up with a contradictory statement, their reputation and competence notwithstanding, I am duty bound, as an officer of the Government, to carry out investigations and verify the position. The work of the Prime Minister is to supervise and co-ordinate functions of Government, including the Ministries. So, I acted in that capacity, because there were several agencies involved. The KEPHIS is under the Ministry of Agriculture. The Government Chemist is under the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. The KEBS is under the Ministry of Industrialization. So, that is how the Office of the Prime Minister comes in. To inform Ms. Karua, that is why the Office of the Prime Minister was the contractor. There are documents available. If they are needed, they will be tabled in the House. Mr. Speaker, Sir, emergencies are emergencies as they are. This was an emergency because the goods were lying at the Port of Mombasa and the ship owner was threatening to sue because his ship had been delayed there holding the goods for 35 days. We needed to make a decision one way or the other. In the minutes, which I am going to table, we resolved that because doubt had been raised on this particular consignment, irrespective of the outcome of the test to be carried out by M/s. Intertek International Limited or any other agency, this consignment would not be released for human consumption. That is why we said that there was no need to have these goods sent back to South Africa. If it was not suitable for human consumption, South Africans are also human beings and we would rather destroy it here. Mr. Speaker, Sir, drought is an urgent matter but that is not an issue that we want to deal with here when we are dealing with the consignment of maize at the Port of Mombasa."
}