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{
    "id": 1525578,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525578/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 244,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "the right path of it. This is for the reason that in the year 2011 and 12 years thereafter, leading all the way to 2021-2022, this MLND indeed affected over 90 per cent of the entire crop within Bomet County. It did not just affect the crop, but the entire livelihood of thousands and thousands of people. The decision by Kerich to file this Petition and to seek for the recommendations that ultimately has come from this committee have really made me proud as a citizen of this country, particularly where it is speaking to the mainstay of the livelihoods of thousands of people. Madam Temporary Speaker, when you look at the report itself and the investigations that were conducted, the disease did not only affect Bomet County, but it has spread over the country, including the neighboring countries. The sensitization that this Petition has brought in itself is something that is worth lauded and appreciated. I also appreciate the gentleman from Nyangores Ward, Hilary Kiprono Kerich, for taking this bold step. Despite the fact that he lamented in his Petition of the efforts that he made prior to filing this Petition, he did not give up or surrender because he had a vision to seek to establish the root cause of this disease. A description of the condition of the maize as a crop that has been affected by this disease is quite worrying, especially when it took more than 10 years for the Government to manage its spread and also the consequences that it has caused. Ordinarily, you would find a mature crop going up to two or three metres high. Madam Temporary Speaker, the only crop that they entirely rely on would only grow to a certain stage, barely a metre high, turns yellow and stagnates. It could affect the rest of the intercrops and ultimately, there is zero harvest. When we went before the committee - where I also appeared - the interrogations that went in, including the participation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, KALRO and the relevant other Government agencies, brought out the real challenge and effect of the disease. The most unfortunate thing and the sad situation about this is the fact that it has taken more than 10 years for this to be out of the shelves. Further challenge has been occasioned by the inability or the unwillingness of those who are involved in the county government because this is a devolved function. Agriculture is a devolved function. Madam Temporary Speaker, in the absence of a commitment on the part of those who are running the county and related agencies operating within the county government, the farmers or residents will have no other recourse to do what Hillary did. He filed Petition before the Senate leading to the involvement of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to deal with this. The consequences of it, as I said, went beyond food security. This affected not only the people of Bomet, but it went beyond the county. It is something that would go to the national and the regional level. As I have stated in this aspect, the challenge is the absence of commitment and involvement of extension officers. The county government in most cases, especially Bomet County, has a budget that has already been set aside for purposes of this. Instead of investing in such very specific, public and of great concern agricultural aspects, the funds go into great waste in what we 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."
}