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{
    "id": 1507055,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1507055/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 103,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I have a comment on two issues quickly because I know we have two minutes. The first one is on this issue of Somalia and access to that market by the miraa growing farmers predominantly from Meru and the neighbouring counties. I cannot understand why this is taking too long to settle. We have had very good and stable relations with the country of Somalia, primarily dominated by the fact that we have been of good assistance to them at the time when their country had turbulence. Kenya has been a home to many. There are many Kenyans who trace their roots originally back to this country. We have all integrated and become one people and continue to live together as good neighbours. I do not understand and perhaps we need the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help us appreciate why Kenya cannot have a bilateral conversation with Somalia and agree on how to best handle this miraa business. Administration after the other, I remember for as long as I became an adult from the late President Moi, President Mwai Kibaki and President Uhuru. Each President resident has had to occasionally deal with interruption of miraa business and the trade between us and Somalia without it being resolved with finality. If our flowers can access European markets with so much ease because of the bilateral agreements that we have signed with those other countries, this group will not be banned in Somalia. The only issue that the miraa farmers, through their representatives are telling this House, is that there are middlemen who are taking advantage of a lack of an existing framework between the two countries. We will ensure that in the long run, farmers benefit out of their sweat and not middlemen that are positioned in between the Government of Kenya and the Government of Somalia. It is a very fair request. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is my sincere hope that finally, this administration shall be the administration that will put this matter to rest and allow miraa farmers to enjoy the fruit of their sweat. Lastly, it is on this issue that has been raised by Sen. Onyonka, I know we have a Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare in this House, and its Members are listening to us. Part of the very first engagement that we had in this House, as a leadership, was an interaction with Kenyans living in UAE. They insisted on us, as 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."
}