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{
    "id": 1476535,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1476535/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 86,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Uriri, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mark Nyamita",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this Motion brought by Hon. Nabulindo. In this country, sugar remains one of the commodities whose supply is lower than the demand. A basic economics tells you that where supply is lower than demand, the price must be right for the consumer yet we still have our farmers choking with poverty because of importation of sugar. Before we even introduce new policies, there must be goodwill. It is not for lack of policy that we have this problem. It is purely because of lack of goodwill. I come from a sugarcane growing area, where there is generation of electricity. The electricity in most factories is more than enough for their factory. So, they can supply to the national grid at a much lower price. However, our policies are wanting. There is the case of Mumias Sugar Factory, which has been forced to sell all its electric power to Kenya Power Company at a very low price and buy it back at a much higher price. So, they produce their power but they are not allowed by law to utilize it. They are supposed to send it to the national grid and buy it at a higher rate. It simply does not make sense. Every year, we create an artificial shortage of sugar and license a few people to import the commodity. When they bring into the country, the pricing is never right. Therefore, I support this Motion. If the Government is keen on improving the livelihoods of Kenyans, especially those living in sugarcane growing areas, it must begin to invest, including in the maintenance of the factories that we have. Most factories produce below their capacities because the machinery that we have is as old as this nation. For example, the machinery at Sony Sugar Factory was bought way before Independence. They are still struggling with it despite the fact that it is operating at less than 50 per cent of its capacity. There are issues of regulations. Every time we try to bring in proper regulations, they are frustrated by Government functionaries who aid the same cartels. I applaud my colleague who has brought this Motion. It is, indeed, time we made this country more independent. Every region must be considered for optimizing its unique potential. For sugarcane growing areas, amongst many other things, we need to invest in sugarcane production. For example, in my area, I have seen sugar factories fix our roads and other infrastructure. It means if we allow them to produce to capacity, we stop importation and get the pricing right, even the amount of money that the Government invests through the Ministry of Roads to improve the road infrastructure in those areas will reduce. 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."
}