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{
"id": 181842,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/181842/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Njuguna",
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"speaker": {
"id": 20,
"legal_name": "Peter Njuguna Gitau",
"slug": "peter-gitau"
},
"content": "Thank you Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for granting me the opportunity to continue from where I stopped yesterday. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I raised the issue of wheat farmers. At times, wheat farmers are affected by army worms. It becomes very serious and cumbersome to the farmers. If the crop is destroyed, the farmers will not have anything to give to their workers or repay their loans with. I was, therefore, suggesting that the Minister for Agriculture creates a mechanism to be used to cushion farmers who are likely to be affected by army worms. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue concerns food security. The National Strategic Reserve has been depleted for some time. The entire population has been concerned. This could have been caused by failure of our national staple crops like maize. It is important that the Ministry of Agriculture becomes more careful about the national reserve. It has been a total shame to tell Kenyans that our reserves and granaries are almost empty. We should have adequate reserves for the Kenyan population. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we remember very vividly that, at the beginning of this year, the Minister for Agriculture raised the issue of importing about three million bags of maize. However, up to now, the Minister is telling the nation that he has ben able to import about two million bags. October 29, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3135 One million bags are still remaining. I think a credible Ministry should give a national statement. The statement must be fulfilled to give the population hope. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue that I consider very important is the issue of the price of maize in this nation. When the Minister for Agriculture gives a statement on price reduction, that statement is taken very seriously by our people. How many times is the Minister going to talk about reduction of the price of maize, sugar and wheat? It is important that when a statement is issued by the Minister for Agriculture, it should give direction as to where the nation is heading. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on food production, we cannot pride ourselves in saying production of food will be maximized in this nation when we realise that some people are already occupying other people's land. It is important that those who have occupied other people's land are removed from there and provide security to the genuine owners of those parcels of land. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also note the critical role that is being played by mama mboga in our big towns. These are the women who sustain our homes. These are the people who play a critical role in educating our children. Women in our major towns must be educated through seminars and workshops. We must extend credit facilities to them. We need all the people to take an active role in improving the economy of this nation. Designated areas must also be set aside for those people. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, regarding fertilisers, the Minister has come up with a noble idea of injecting about Kshs6.3 billion. That should not be a castle in the air. It should be a reality. It should not be like the Kenren issue where a lot of money was invested and nothing came out it. We would like that idea to become a reality, so that we can produce enough fertilisers for this nation, and even export it to neighbouring countries. With regard to food processing, I note that since 1963, Lari Constituency has never had a factory. Lari contributes about 30 per cent of the food that we eat in Nairobi. So, I urge the Minister, in his strategic planning, to think about a food processing factory in Lari. With regard to irrigation, all the areas must be considered. We should have equitable distribution of resources. About the resettlement of IDPs, it is important that we give them an opportunity to go back to their land, so that they can engage themselves in a productive life and produce a lot of food for this nation. I recall that, at one time, in the land of Egypt, there was a lot of farming. But somebody known as Joseph in the Bible came to Egypt and was given the responsibility of making sure that the land of Egypt produced adequate food. He conducted technical courses and made sure that all the soils in that land produced food. The entire world went to Egypt to look for food. I urge the Minister, who is a very hard-working person, to work like Joseph and make sure that our stores are full of food. If you work like the Joseph of Egypt, one time, you will become a Minister like the Joseph of Egypt. You will become a Prime Minister in this nation. Our stores will be full of food and our nation will enjoy prosperity and happiness. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}