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{
    "id": 521139,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/521139/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 193,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Oyoo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2408,
        "legal_name": "James Onyango Oyoo",
        "slug": "james-onyango-oyoo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this very important Bill. For avoidance of doubt, I want to state to this House that this Bill is very sentimental to my heart because one of my predecessors was christened ‘Bwana Sukari’. In my constituency lies the biggest sugar industries until the so called “sugar daddies” came with their tools of trade and started dismantling them by bringing in cheap sugar and selling air to the so called “sugar industries”. I have looked at this Report carefully. Yesterday I did not have enough time. It is good that I have had an altercation with my good friend and neighbour, the Chairman of this Sub-sommittee, hon. Benjamin Langat, when we mentioned one thing. However, that was on face value. I reacted when he said that Miwani Sugar Company could not be among the factories to be privatised because it had a court case. I dismissed and told him that Miwani Sugar Company had no known court case, and that the only court case was filed by some fraudulent Asian called Crossley, who purportedly bought huge chunks of Miwani Nuclear Estates in an auction that never was, using their powerful godfathers in the Government. They were charged by the then effective Anti-Corruption, headed by Prof. Lumumba. Against that background, this case went on but it has since been dismissed at the court of appeal. Therefore, there is no case on Miwani. I have looked at this document and while it is in my interest, I would want the farmers who are my constituents to benefit from sugarcane farming; and the workers to benefit from sugarcane milling, so that the economy can continue thriving very well through sugarcane business. I have read a document which shows that on 9th January, 2013, Parliament resolved to postpone privatisation of various industries because certain mechanisms were to be put in place to take care of the county government’s position, among other things. When I went through this document, I did not find anywhere showing that the county government has been involved. I am not for the county government. I believe that they have no value to add in this particular concept but privatisation was delayed to allow those who have conscripted this concept to bring on board the county government, so that they could be represented. Equally, I expected that leaders like me would be consulted. This was in 2013, after I had been elected to Parliament. If I had been consulted, I would have asked the authorities that we have public hearings. I would have taken them to Muhoroni for them to meet the farmers, get their views, put them together and see what to do. However, what I have seen here are escapist reasons and scapegoats rather than reasons. We are being rushed to privatise the sugar company because of the looming fall of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) wall. The COMESA The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}