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{
    "id": 1476925,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1476925/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 247,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Maanzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13589,
        "legal_name": "Maanzo Daniel Kitonga",
        "slug": "maanzo-daniel-kitonga"
    },
    "content": "The cooperatives movement, especially the agricultural one, can even be found in North Eastern. There are farmers who used to come see me in office, all the way from North Eastern. They run a serious co-operative there. There are farmers in Mandera, Garissa and along the rivers. There are other activities like herding cows that are in the cooperative movement. This cooperative movement is also strong in China, but best practices are found in Europe, the Nordic countries. There are milk and transport cooperatives and that is how we borrowed the Matatu SACCO. They are not SACCO but they have an element of saving and that is why they fall under the SACCO. There have also been many amendments made to streamline the money aspect. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have the KUSCCO in Kenya, which is now riddled with a lot of problems and yet it is the umbrella body here in Kenya which represents the cooperative movement here in Kenya. The directorship is through an election from the various regions, similarly with the Cooperative Insurance of Kenya (CIC). I would like to plead with Sen. Mariam that before we go for the Third Reading, we should first find out what is happening in the National Assembly. This is because we cannot be passing laws here - we can easily pass this today or next week - transit it to the National Assembly and it passes a Bill. Both of them cross each other. They then bring that Bill here, while Sen. Mariam’s Bill goes to the National Assembly. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we want to save Parliament’s time and that of Kenyans. Cooperative members are eager to get a new law. We also have many other institutions associated with this. We have housing cooperatives, which have not been taken care of thoroughly herein. We have the Cooperative University of Kenya, which we set up from the Cooperative College during my time as the Secretary. We borrowed the module from the Mondragon Corporation in Spain and brought that model here. However, some people interfered with it, but now, it has gone back on track. We have a Cooperative University, where do we place it in this law? We have a Cooperative Bank as well as other institutions that are associated with cooperatives. There are even sand harvesting cooperative societies and all manner of co-operatives but they have no law. I, therefore, agree with Sen. Maria that there be a law, which regulates all this and synchronizes it properly for the best service of cooperatives. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, although there is the Penal Code and the Anti- Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, we need the law to come up with better practices to streamline corruption. The law in this country recognizes that co-operatives conduct elections because they believe in democratic practices. However, we have a law that deals with the age limit in this country. There are private organizations where the law on retirement at 60 may not apply. Then, what do you do with someone who is 80 years old and has been in the cooperative movement for over 50 years? He has been dealing with coffee and the same problems are duplicated year after year, never changing and not helping people, and yet, we want the people to be served. 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."
}