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{
    "id": 233116,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/233116/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 213,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Mwau",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 360,
        "legal_name": "Adelina Ndeto Mwau",
        "slug": "adelina-mwau"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Bill. I want to add my voice by congratulating Dr. Ojiambo for bringing this very important Bill. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill has come at an opportune time when the eating habits of Kenyans are not good. Kenyans are not eating healthy foods. Most wealthy Kenyans eat a lot of unhealthy foods such as nyama choma . In fact, many Kenyans spend most of their weekends eating a lot of unhealthy foods. We need to change our eating habits. We need to eat foods such as sukuma wiki, ugali and githeri . These are foods that will give our bodies the nutrients that we require. Kenyans need to be educated on the importance of eating nutritious foods. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the proposed Board will have a major task of educating Kenyans on the need to eat healthy foods. I would like to suggest that a herbalist be included as a member of this institute. Many Kenyans are now going the herbal route. They are 3936 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES November 23, 2006 consuming products from companies such as Tianshi, which sells purely Chinese herbal products. In Kenya, we have many herbal products which can treat various ailments. These herbal products can also provide our bodies with essential vitamins and nutrients. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, growing healthy food is important. We need to have organic farming as a way of helping farmers to grow food that is free from chemicals. A lot of diseases that Kenyans suffer from today have everything to do with what we eat; high blood pressure and diabetes. We know HIV/AIDS can be controlled by eating healthy. We know most of the diseases that children are born with come out from what their mothers eat. So, it is important to have mothers educated on what to eat when they are pregnant. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we need to have, in the institute, education to do with alcoholism. This is because alcoholism is a disease that many Kenyans suffer from. Alcoholics actually do not eat, and when they do, it is after drinking a lot of alcohol. So, they suffer from liver problems. Therefore, it is important to have a person who has knowledge of alcoholism included either in the Board or in the institute. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we need to address the issue of growing traditional foods, because we have gone out of our ways of eating. We need to encourage farmers to grow foods that were traditionally eaten and were very nutritious. We need to go back to the growing of finger millet, cassava, arrow roots and so on. We need to go back to educating Kenyans on eating vegetables that were traditional. The fast food culture of fish and chips or chips and chicken is catching up with Kenyans. It is important that as the institute picks up after we pass this Bill, Kenyans are educated so as to eat healthy. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill is long overdue. We need to pass it and have the institution in place so that we can save Kenyans. Most of the diseases Kenyans suffer from are caused by what we eat. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}