{"id":244792,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/244792/?format=json","text_counter":154,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Mr. Mwenje","speaker_title":"The Assistant Minister for Co-operative Development and Marketing","speaker":{"id":257,"legal_name":"David S. Kamau Mwenje","slug":"david-mwenje"},"content":" Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. First and foremost, some of the organisations that have been mentioned are companies and not co-operative societies. Wendano, Matuu and Kianzabe are private companies which are outside my jurisdiction. I would advise the Questioner to address that matter to the office of the Attorney- General for an appropriate answer. My reply is, therefore, restricted to co-operative societies which, in this case, are Matingi and Kayatta. (a) I am aware that coffee farming activities in the two societies had earlier been neglected by previous committees. However, the societies are currently rehabilitating the coffee farms. (b) I am aware that the two societies have not paid dividends to their shareholders as no surplus had been realised. I am also aware that the two societies had borrowed money for societies' coffee development, but I am not aware that they have borrowed money against the societies' title deeds for their own use. (c) I am not aware of any legal proceedings initiated by the management committees of Kwa Matingi Farmers Co-operative Society and Kayatta Farmers Co-operative Society to sustain their positions at the expense of shareholders. (d) I ordered for fresh elections in all co-operative societies in April, 2005 which included Kwa Matingi and Kayatta farmers co-operative societies whereby the current officials were elected by the shareholders in their respective General Meetings."}