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{
    "id": 1459575,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1459575/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 197,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kiharu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ndindi Nyoro",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, with regard to agriculture, we have allocated Ksh3 billion towards the Coffee Cherry Revolving Fund. That money will go into easing the cost of borrowing when it comes to coffee societies and also coffee farmers. The recently tabulated debts on coffee farmers show that coffee societies owe banks around Ksh8.6 billion. We need to help the farmers. In this debt menace, we have allocated the first phase of Ksh2 billion towards the payment of coffee debts so that our farmers can get reprieve in regard to the debts. In the sugar sector, we have allocated between Ksh700 million to Ksh1 billion to enhance payments of arrears to farmers, and to also increase the technology in the sugar sub-sector. I want to laud Hon. Mutunga, the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. He has looked inwards into the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to get resources to support our sugar farmers because they also deserve more in terms of payments and technology so that we can enhance the payments in respect of sugarcane, not just in terms of weight, but also in terms of sucrose levels. Hon. Speaker, in the arena of agriculture, we have also allocated Ksh1.5 billion to the new Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC). This money will go into defending the raw milk prices so that farmers can get a net of Ksh50 per litre. This will ensure that dairy farming continues to be a profitable venture for farmers. We have done much more in that arena because we believe agriculture is important for our economy. When it comes to the security sector, the Kenya Police Reforms Task Force (The Maraga Task Force) was given a mandate to go around the country to check how the security officers are living. Before I go to that, Hon. Speaker, let me just finish with agriculture sector first. I was to highlight one more critical issue. In the dairy sector, the Kenya Government has been having a programme with the Polish Government; the Government of Kenya (GoK) was to raise 5 per cent of the funds and the Polish Government was to give us the remainder so that we purchase coolers for the farmers. However, because of the changes in governance in Poland, it has been a very long process for us to access the funds from the Polish side. Despite that position, Parliament has allocated Ksh2 billion for outright purchase of coolers. These are to be given to the farmers so that dairy farming can continue to be mechanised and enhanced. Going back to security, I want to thank Hon. Tongoyo because he is very passionate about the sector. The Kenya National Task Force on Police Reforms, headed by the Former Chief Justice Maraga, conducted a nationwide investigation and reported that our police officers are not adequately paid and are living in substandard conditions. To ameliorate the situation, we have added Ksh3.5 billion to the National Police Service Commission to increase the salaries of the policemen. The police lack a union to advocate on their behalf, so I commend this House and the Government for recognizing the need to increase their salaries. They truly deserve it. Hon. Speaker, as I conclude, this Bill directly impacts the ordinary Kenyans who elected us to this House. As the Chairman of Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC), I ask for your support and welcome your input as it will help shape how we allocate resources. I also thank all the Members, departmental committees and their respective chairpersons for their timely assistance in delivering this document. Before I move the Motion, let me address one particular matter: I have seen many untrue things in the media concerning the education sector and governance. The truth is that the education sector is receiving the lion’s share of our Budget. I request Members to go through the Bill so that we can distinguish between what we are seeing out there and the reality. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}