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{
    "id": 226791,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/226791/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 145,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Osundwa",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 298,
        "legal_name": "Wycliffe William Osundwa",
        "slug": "wycliffe-osundwa"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will take only a few minutes because I can see a lot of interest on the Floor. Hon. Members want to speak on this very important Motion. This is a very straightforward Motion, which we do not need to take a lot of time discussing. Indeed, I want to urge subsequent speakers to support this industry. In the 1980s, I worked in Kilifi District as a District Information Officer. That time, Kilifi District was steaming with life. Indeed, the success of this factory had lead to further investments in the tourism industry. They had invested in Sindbad Hotel in Malindi, which had created a lot of employment in the area. With the collapse of this factory, life has just gone down for the residents of not only Kilifi, but the whole of Coast Province. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, at the time this factory collapsed, the Ramisi Sugar Factory had also collapsed in Kwale. You can imagine the suffering that the people of Coast Province are undergoing. I would also imagine what it feels for farmers who had put in a lot of effort to produce a cash crop just sitting idle because somebody somewhere has looted the only industry in the area. If such a thing happened in my area, where we depend solely on sugar--- The sugar industry supports six million Kenyans. If the Kilifi people are not going to be helped, then there is no need to continue to support this Government. Many times, the President has toured Coast Province and he has promised to revive the many industries which have gone down. I happen to have lived in Coast Province for more than ten years and I know how vibrant the economy in that province has been. We had the bixa factory, the cashewnuts, the milk cooling plant in Mariakani and very many other industries. Today, we only rely on tourism and even tourists pay their money outside Coast Province. They only go there to tour. So, I highly support the revival of this industry. First of all, let us investigate thoroughly because we might revive this industry and the same crooks may come to steal the equipment. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to suggest that we set a time limit within which this Select Committee should submit its report. We know very well that we are going away sometimes around October this year. I would urge the Committee hon. Members to work with haste, so that by the end of September, a report is tabled before this House, which should contain recommendations on how to deal with those crooks. 520 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 11, 2007 I know for sure the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports indicate who did what in this industry. I know that the Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources has also come up with recommendations on how to revive the industry. All those reports are just gathering dust on the shelves. With those few remarks, I support this Motion highly, and I suggest that a time-frame within which the Committee should report back to the House should be set today."
}