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"id": 229041,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/229041/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Munyao",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 279,
"legal_name": "Joseph Konzolo Munyao",
"slug": "joseph-munyao"
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"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will have very few words. First of all, I would like to thank the Chair for the statement it made here. I am happy that the Chair appreciates the fact that hon. Members work very hard. That is very true. Indeed, we need recognition just like any other Kenyans. I think all of us need be to come back in 2008. Mr. Speaker, Sir, secondly, I would like to congratulate His Excellency the President for the beautiful public policy exposition. It has already been applauded by this House. I wish this Speech by His Excellency the President is captured on the internet, so that Kenyans in the diaspora could also have a chance to read it. Mr. Speaker, Sir, having said that, let me take this chance to thank hon. Members of this Parliament and all farmers in Kenya because we have come from a very serious position of the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) which had attacked Kenya towards the end of December. It is because of the co-operation of hon. Members of this House who I know are also farmers who took interest in it that we were able to fight it. Above all, I would like to thank my own members of staff, particularly the veterinary officers who themselves had to be vaccinated before they went to the field. They showed a very big commitment on their part. They sacrificed themselves in order to help livestock farmers in the affected areas. They worked very hard. Now the disease has been contained. The Ministry knows that the communities affected, particularly farmers in the North Rift and North Eastern provinces depend on livestock for their livelihood. So, they would like their markets to be opened, so that they can now sell their animals and start living comfortably and pay school fees for their children. Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Ministry and the officers at Kabete, are working day and night to contain this disease. As soon as we are sure this disease is no longer a threat, we will open all markets. However, we must appreciate our handicap in containing this disease. I would like to thank the international development partners who helped us at that time of need. I have in mind organisations like the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the United States Agency for International Development and others. Mr. Speaker, Sir, having said that, I would beseech some hon. Members of this House that when they discuss a subject they must do so accurately. This is because some hon. Members would speak with authority about the fishing industry, but they knows nothing about it. It is very disappointing. When the NARC Government took over power, many people were not eating fish. Today, Kenyan fish is not only eaten here, but we also export a lot of it to European markets. This Government worked so hard to get fish products harmonised with the European Union (EU) markets and other international markets. Today this country is earning close to Kshs4 billion as revenue from the sale of fish. In fact, the research on Lake Victoria dwells so much on the fishing industry. Therefore, fish farmers are very happy with this Government. They appreciate what we are doing for them. Occasionally, we have been holding meetings in various areas to try and regularise the fish trade. We should speak about subjects that we know well. It is not good to talk about something that we do not have facts on. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have an appeal to make. I appreciate the efforts of His Excellency the President in reviving many things, especially the projects that stalled during the former regime, which number about 200. Many of them have been revived. Above all, I commend him for recognising the freedom fighters in this country. Recently, a statue of the late freedom fighter, Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi, was erected on Kimathi Street. He fought for freedom, so that Kenyans could benefit. When a hero fights, he does not do so to benefit himself. He does so for the whole country to benefit. Last week we lost a hero in this country called Mr. Kisoi Munyao. He comes from Mbooni Constituency. Many people, including hon. Sambu, used to relate me to Mr. Kisoi. I have admitted all the time that he was either my brother or cousin, because all Kambas are my cousins and March 28, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 209 brothers. Mr. Kisoi, dedicated, hoisted the Kenyan national flag on Mt. Kenya. This happened only once and it will never happen again. Unfortunately, he passed on last week; God bless his soul. We are now in the process of organising his funeral. I invite all hon. Members to attend the burial ceremony in Mbooni on the date we will announce. If it were not for Mr. Kisoi, today we would not be flying the kind of flags we fly. I am happy about the action the Government is taking. I am sure it will meet the hospital bill and also assist in the funeral arrangements."
}