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{
    "id": 234606,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/234606/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Weya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 304,
        "legal_name": "Sammy Arthur Weya",
        "slug": "sammy-weya"
    },
    "content": "One of the issues that has been raised here is that of corporate social responsibility, particularly by manufacturers. We said that they should not be responsible for anything. I think it has been identified that cigarette smoking is harmful to our health. There is no reason why those companies cannot be compelled to put up health facilities. Why should we stop them from putting up health centres, yet we know that the substance they produce is a health hazard? Let them put up November 15, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3727 health centres because that will help our people in the rural areas, and even people who are not smokers. One of my concerns, which I would have liked put in this Bill, is the issue of protection of farmers. How are they protected when they are handling the crop? I think it is an issue that the companies have not considered at all. Considering the huge profits the companies have made in the past, it should not be a problem for them to take care of farmers and protect them from the hazards of handling the crop. On the issue of destroying forests as has been raised by an hon. Member, I would like to say that there are other technologies that can be used in curing tobacco. Tobacco does not necessarily have to be wood-cured. It is good if BAT and Mastermind Tobacco Company (MTC) put up these kind of machinery if they want to continue with this business. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to conclude by saying I support the regulation of the tobacco industry. However, regulation should be done responsibly by hon. Members without any hon. Member leaning on one side. We must be sober. We are leading constituents who could be tobacco farmers, non-smokers, smokers, minors, disabled people selling cigars for a living, and those people selling small commodities on the roadside. We need to be very realistic in a Third World country like ours. We should not just follow what is happening in the First World. We should not just fine someone, for example, Kshs20,000, yet that individual is earning that money as a profit in a year. In Kenya, a kiosk owner makes a profit of just about Kshs200 a day. We cannot fine this individual Kshs20,000 and put him on the same level with other people because this is a blanket law that is followed all over the country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to support this Bill and request that we regulate this industry responsibly."
}