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{
    "id": 175464,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/175464/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 248,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Yinda",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 154,
        "legal_name": "Edwin Ochieng Yinda",
        "slug": "edwin-yinda"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this December 10, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3995 opportunity to support this Motion, which I think is very timely. The number of families that are going without food in this country now are uncountable. Even families that used to be respectable and could afford three meals a day now afford only one meal a day. The only way that problem can be sorted out is by price controls or Government subsidies. We cannot pretend that we do not need price controls on basic foodstuffs. The price of half a kilogramme of salt is the same for me and the man on the streets. At the moment, we are talking about the reduction of the price of unga . But even the reduction of Kshs52 per a two- kilogramme packet is not sufficient enough. Many people cannot afford even that Kshs52. I feel it is ridiculous to differentiate or categorise Kenyans into the rich who can afford to buy unga at Kshs72 per two-kilogramme bag, and the other group that can afford the Kshs52 for the same. That is dangerous because many Kenyans are viewing others very badly because they cannot afford the foodstuffs that others can. The number of people who cannot afford to buy food is increasing by the day. We have so many people who cannot afford a packet of milk, cooking oil and rice, which are basic food commodities. I want to join my fellow colleagues who have said that the price of fuel also contributes to the high cost of foodstuffs. So, I really request the Government to put in place measures to control the price of fuel. The price of diesel, which is mainly used by farming communities to fuel their tractors, should be controlled so that we can reduce the cost of production of food. I do not agree with the notion that we should limit the price reduction to maize meal only. That is because it is not only the price of maize flour which needs to be reduced. Some Members said Kenyans should eat other foods. But eating beans now is a luxury because the price of a bag of beans is un-affordable to most Kenyans. Eating potatoes is a luxury because, at the moment, even the price of potatoes is un-affordable to most Kenyans. So, the basic food commodities are unga, rice, cooking oil and sugar. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}