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{
"id": 1505655,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1505655/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13199,
"legal_name": "Enoch Kiio Wambua",
"slug": "enoch-kiio-wambua"
},
"content": "Not very long ago, we committed the outgoing ambassador of the United States of America in Kenya, Meg Whitman, that the United States Government would continue to promote the revival of cotton farming in this country, so that this nation and farmers from Kenya and business people from Kenya can also continue to benefit from the provisions of the African Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA). The sorry state of affairs, as we stand today, is that we have cotton or garment companies in this country that are forced to import cotton and cotton products from as far as China and other African countries to process and manufacture clothes yet we have areas in this country that are very conducive for cotton growing. It is my prayer and my wish that this Bill will pass and be assented into law by the President, so that then the benefits of cotton farming in the regions where cotton is grown, farmers may now begin to realise those benefits. As the Senator of Kitui, I confirm to this House that cotton farming is a very lucrative and rewarding farming activity in Kitui and the region if it can be properly supported. We still have some ginneries that have stalled and do not operate. Most of them use outdated technology, so they are not even functional. However, the climatic conditions from Kitui and the region are supportive of cotton growing. For the information of the House, Kitui Machakos and Makueni are no longer Lower Eastern Region. They are Mount Kenya South Region. So that region is very suitable for cotton farming. There is a matter that the Senator for Kirinyaga, my Chairman in the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, has touched on. I want him to hear this, but Sen. Maanzo would not allow him to hear. We are here to represent our counties; the wishes and aspirations of people from our counties who are Kenyans and who have a right to representation and proper support from the Government of the day, irrespective of their relationship with that Government. I thank my Chairman, Sen. (Dr) Murango, because so far, as he said, this is the third Bill that we have successfully processed. We expect that very soon, it will be assented into law by the President, and the benefits contained therein then will trickle down to the farmers. However, we, as a Committee, are also worried a lot. I bring this to the attention of the Speaker so that he can also give proper direction on this matter. I sponsored the Mung bean Bill. All the Senators in the House during the time for debate on that Bill supported and voted for it. The proposed amendments, which the Committee considered, the Secretariat helped the Committee to process what we believed was a very good Bill to help ndengu farmers across the country. When the matter went to the National Assembly, first of all, it was there for the longest time. When it finally came up, we heard strange things. The Bill intended to make sure that farmers obtain licenses to grow ndengu or mung beans. I want to stand on the Floor of this House today as I support the Cotton Bill, to say that if there is any Ndengu Bill, that proposes the licensing of farmers to grow the crop, then that is not the Bill we processed in the Committee and the Bill the Senate passed. That must be another Bill from another place because that provision is not there in that Bill. 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."
}