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{
    "id": 361679,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/361679/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 337,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Shimbwa",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1345,
        "legal_name": "Omar Mwinyi Shimbwa",
        "slug": "omar-mwinyi-shimbwa"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Motion. I am a product of a fisherman and you can see how healthy I am. The problems encountered by the societies that practise fishing have been enumerated by those who spoke before me. I would like to add the following points which may enrich the debate. We have seen in a number of Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) shows plants and animal husbandry being promoted for people to learn more about these things. We have, however, never seen one with regard to the fishing industry. There are no proper fishing grounds when it comes to repair and landing sites. I am referring to the areas in Coast Province where the beaches are a preserve of the lucky ones who are well connected to the Government. Most times the fishermen are removed from the landing sites and this causes problems. The other challenge the fishermen are faced with is marketing. The Government should come up with arrangements to help in transportation of fish from the source to the market areas. This will definitely enable these people to be economically stable. Most of the communities which practise fishing have very poor people. They have remained so for a long while. If we can assist them in marketing, then we will be assisting them to become economically viable. We will be also encouraging them to stay in their areas especially at this time when there is a lot of urban migration as people move out to look for jobs in the urban areas. We have seen people from our neighbouring countries benefit from use of our coastal area. I am referring to persons of Tanzanian origin who come to do fishing in Kenya. They sell fresh fish. Some dry and smoke the fish and take them to their country. We need to assist our people to do the same. There is the issue of interference of the breeding grounds. Nothing has been done to stop this menace. There is a lot of cutting of the mangrove trees which are supposed to be the breeding grounds for fish and prawns. Nothing is being done about this. We have seen Ministries being established but I can say that there is no willpower to make these Ministries or boards to work for the people of such areas. There is the Fisheries Department that Hon. Otuoma has been quoting and several other bodies like the Ministry which was created for arid areas. It did not assist much because there was no will from the Government to make sure that those Ministries did something for the people from those areas. Finally, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when it comes to compensation like for the people of Changamwe and Port Ritz area and the side of Mtongwe where there is a project by the KPA, those people have been compensated very slowly. They were paid only Kshs70,000 which is their only source of livelihood for about the 100 years they have been there."
}