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{
    "id": 361666,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/361666/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 324,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Omondi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1406,
        "legal_name": "John Ogutu Omondi",
        "slug": "john-ogutu-omondi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I rise to support the Motion as amended for several reasons. One, the fishing industry is one industry which has been misunderstood and misused and wastefully utilized. The problem we have in the fishing industry, as others have said is taken as a poor man’s industry or job. But I do not know whether you are aware or we are all aware that some of the richest people and some of the biggest industrial estate developers are actually getting their money from the fish. I happen to be involved in this industry and I can authoritively say that the Government has neglected it. The people who are in this industry are simply exploiters. They are people who do not have a long-term interest in this resource. I say so because when you look at the Nile Perch, most of it at the moment comes from Lake Turkana but the Government has not even bothered to build roads leading to that area. So, if you put your factory there, you will not transport your fish to the market. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, another problem I wish to talk about is that even the figures given as contributing Kshs10 billion in foreign currency is an understatement because there is a lot of under-invoicing that takes place. I can say that the true figure could be over Kshs15 billion because most of the money is left out there. If the Government could take interest in this industry, just like in any other industry; this kind of behaviour or practice would be rectified. Due to negligence, we keep on saying that the fish catch in Lake Victoria is dwindling. As a fisherman, I know that that is not true because currently fishing is done in very shallow waters due to lack of good fishing gear. The Nile Perch is a deep water fish. Most of the Nile Perch in Lake Victoria is dying of old age. If we could get better fishing gear, we would go to the deep waters and stop people fishing in the shallow waters, where baby fish is caught. Those of us who come from the Lake area know that the small fish that is caught by mistake looks like a carpet, and this is very wasteful. So, if this Motion is passed and the Government takes interest in the industry and gives grants, as per the amendment, we will have a lot of fish in Lake Victoria. We talk about the fish catch dwindling but the problem we have is that the Mbita Causeway in Lake Victoria is stopping fish from coming from Uganda and Tanzania. The fish breeds on the gulf. If we could remove the Mbita Causeway and exchange it with a bridge, we would not have the problem of Kenya lacking fish and Uganda having more fish, because their fish would come and breed in our area. When they come, we just catch them. So, the Government should make sure"
}