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{
    "id": 175468,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/175468/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Eng. Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 75,
        "legal_name": "Ephraim Mwangi Maina",
        "slug": "ephraim-maina"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. From the first instance, I want to say that I expect the Government to be watching over this country. I expect the Government to be listening to Kenyans. I drafted this Motion four months ago. At that time, the price of maize flour was about Kshs70. I want to say the outcry was there. This Government sat back and watched as the price 3996 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 10, 2008 rose to over Kshs100. I want to thank hon. Members for supporting this Motion. I want to say that a Government that does not have an ear for its citizens will not survive. A Government must have an ear even for the silent majority. I want to say that hon. Members who have spoken have heard the voice of ordinary Kenyans who are going hungry. Let me say that food scarcity is a security threat to a country. It is actually more than a military invasion. If a Government wants to see its own people rise against it, let it make its people go hungry. That is why America and Europe are concerned with feeding their people before they talk about nuclear research. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in Africa, we have a very basic example. Malawi. Today, Kenya is importing maize from Malawi. Because the Government of Malawi took a courageous decision and said: \"Irrespective of who is talking from Washington, we are going to support our farmers.\" I am surprised that--- I would not say the Government--- But a few individuals can sit back and watch multi-nationals skyrocketing the price of fuel in this country. I am surprised that a few individuals in the Government can sit back and watch cartels messing up the basic food commodity in this country. I want to say that I have no words to explain the situation. I thank all the hon. Members who have spoken, once again, for really not siding with the Motion, but for speaking on behalf of Kenyans who brought them here. It has been clear from all the contributions that this country does not have a policy to address production, manage and control the flow and pricing of food. We are not asking about price fixing. We are not asking this Government to pick a price from the air and call it the price of maize flour and sugar. We are asking the Government to sit and look at the mess that this country is in. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, these things have happened in this country. I have quoted the first President of this country. In 1963, after Independence, this country imported yellow maize and he courageously stood and said the people of Kenya will never go hungry again. True to that, he brought a policy here called \"Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR)\". The following year,"
}