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{
    "id": 1497236,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1497236/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 231,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Githunguri, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am honoured, indeed, to participate and be on record that I have supported this Bill because this is what we have been waiting for. I am a member of many co-operatives in my society, community and constituency because, obviously, you know that Githunguri is one of the biggest producers of milk in the Republic of Kenya. We are the people who manage the largest milk co-operative society in Kenya and largely in East Africa. If there is anything that has made most of the producer activities in agriculture retrogress, it is the mismanagement of producer co-operatives and the death of the sector in that matter. Many co-operatives owned many buildings in Nairobi after having made profits in the past. When I was growing up, farmers from Murang’a owned the whole of Kirinyaga Road. Farmers from Kiambu were lending other countries money. I remember the Kiambu Municipality used to lend the Republic of Tanzania money that came from producer co- operatives but, something happened along the way. People who retired from the civil service and those who were fired for misconduct in Government went down to those producer co- operatives and bribed their way into the management of co-operative societies. They laundered and stole money that was meant to grow the co-operative societies and put the same co- operative societies to death. We had very large co-operative societies that owned Imenti House and many other houses on River Road near Keekorok Road. Today, those co-operative societies are in debt. They are supposed to sell off their assets to cover the running costs. I am very excited that this Bill is bringing back the vibrant spirit of co-operatives and the successes that we read about in our history. I am particularly very happy with Part X of the Bill, which will restrict and limit the borrowing power of the people who will be entrusted with running the producer co-operatives. In the past, there were people who borrowed money on behalf of producer co-operatives, listed the assets of such co-operatives and ran away with the loot, only to leave our farmers and producers desperate and hopeless. I am excited that the producer co-operatives will be limited in terms of the loans and investments that they can handle. The power to borrow and invest money must be accounted for by the co-operative’s commissioners. I am happy that Part XI of the Bill has laid out a very good way of how co-operative societies will be amalgamated. In the past, a co-operative could decide to dissolve and establish another co-operative without the blessings of the majority of the owners and shareholders. I am happy that the spirit of co-operatives will finally come back. Our farmers need to benefit. It is time for them to go back to their farms and produce as much as they can because there is a new law that will protect their sweat. I support the Bill and I cannot wait to see it pass. Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker."
}