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"content": "country, they have all been based on statute. There is the Tea Act which set up the Tea Board of Kenya and all those and because of the fact that they have been anchored in statutes, they have been able to develop and take tremendous steps to help the economies of those regions. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, coffee, itself, has also been anchored in law. The development, research, marketing and everything that has anything to do with coffee has been anchored in law. Because of that, we do not begrudge those that have been able to develop that side of the economy. We do not begrudge tea or pyrethrum growing but the one common thing that has been running in all of this, is that they are anchored in law and, therefore, the Government is able to engage. Potential partners outside are able to engage. If they want to get loans and move in certain ways, they are able to engage because there is a statutory body that is working within a legal framework and any investor who wishes to go into that industry is able to engage in a certain way. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, in the industries at the Coast, be it cashewnut, bixa or whatever, there is nothing that has been anchored in the law. This will be the first time that one crop that is unique to Coast will be anchored in the law. I do not want to begrudge others. Even in the sugar industry, there is a law. That is why those areas have grown so well because there is a framework under which any investor is able to engage. However, even today, as we are talking about coconut, there are very few people who would be interested as you can see. However, if today we are debating even a single clause amending tea, you would see the people who are interested. The reason is because nobody really knows about the potential of the coconut tree, fruit and all its products. We people who live in that area know. We have gone out and seen what capacities exist in other countries. We have given the statistics and, therefore, it is my humble prayer this morning to this House and to my fellow colleagues that, for the first time, let us make a statement as a Parliament that we shall support, anchor and frame one crop that has the potential of developing or generating Ksh23 billion for the Exchequer in law. The crop is from the Coast. That way, at least, it will be on record that this 10th Parliament was able to finish the journey that started long time ago. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the late hon. Karisa Maitha brought a Motion to this House a long time ago in the 8th Parliament and it was carried. He served as a Minister in the 9th Parliament. However, a Motion alone urging the Government to do this or that is not enough. That is because the Government, sometimes, will not move if it is not given authoritative legislative framework within which to move. We are seeing this time round that unlike the 8th Parliament, we will not just pass a Motion, but we want to, instead, pass a law that will force the Government to look seriously into the issue of investing in the industry of coconut and helping the marginalized people of the Coast so that we can say that we have taken one step forward. Then, the other people who will come from there to take on the leadership can take the next step forward. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to conclude by saying that we are not ungrateful. We are very grateful because through the Presidential Order, the Kenya Coconut Development Authority ( KCDA) exists right now. But the President is going and some of those orders can be rescinded. So, we want to go to the next logical step which is anchoring that body in law and helping the people to achieve the economic capacity that exists, but is unexploited as of today."
}