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{
    "id": 174562,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/174562/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 85,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Ngilu",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Water and Irrigation",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 111,
        "legal_name": "Charity Kaluki Ngilu",
        "slug": "charity-ngilu"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Motion, and want to say that this is one of my proudest days. I am very proud to be a Member of the Tenth Parliament. I think the Tenth Parliament has achieved a lot. We have been in this House for many years, since 1992 fighting to give Kenyans a new constitution. I can now see light at the end of the tunnel. I do hope that the Members that have been so carefully selected by this House will ensure that they they serve as per expectation, and that they will not be a disgrace. As we go on recess, we are already experiencing serious challenges in the country. We have an acute shortage of food and that is as a result of lack of our investing in water storage in the country. In the recent past, we have had to ration water both in Nairobi and other parts of the country. I want to say here that, that will continue. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to challenge the Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources and say to them that Parliament has now assumed its powers, and it must rise to the occasion and to ensure that there are enough resources within the Budget to ensure that there is enough money to buy food and give inputs to ensure that farmers can grow adequate food. I am surprised that an agricultural country like ours can agree to buy food from a country like Egypt or Libya. I returned from Libya this morning and I was so surprised to see big oranges, tangerines and apples that are grown in Libya. In our country, whenever you see oranges, they are very green, bitter oranges. So, I asked myself; what is our Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and other research institutions doing? I think that if we do not give adequate resources to the research institutions, time has come for us to do that. We also have to make very hard decisions. I believe strongly that the reason why we are not getting enough food in this country is because we lack political will and commitment. We do not seem to care, because the people who 4196 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 17, 2008 suffer lack of food and serious poverty are those people whom we represent. Those people who make decisions do not suffer acute shortages of food within their homes. It is for that reasons that I say that we have to make very hard decisions. We have to think about the poor people. I really want to say to this country that we need to just look at examples of those people who have made a difference. In the recent past, as recent as 2005, there was an acute shortage of food in Malawi and the President of that country had to make a very hard decision. He had been told by the donors that he could not subsidise farm inputs or fertilisers. He went to the Exchequer, took money and subsidised those farm inputs and fertilisers. Today, some of the food that we are eating in Kenya has been imported from Malawi. Why is it that we cannot do the same and ensure that we give our people food? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is nothing more demeaning than making people to sit and wait to be given relief food. It is so demeaning; women will walk long distances to get two kilogrammes of food, yet they have to cook and feed a family of nine people. As we go out for Christmas, I do believe that this House has to think of how we are going to eventually deal with insecurity. As we leave and go for our holidays, we do not know what will happen, but once again, I think we are not dealing with the root causes of insecurity in the country. I believe that the reason why we have so much insecurity is as a result of our not being able to deal with poverty levels. If we deal with that, we will find solutions to security problems. I want to wish every hon. Member a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I beg to support."
}