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{
    "id": 555166,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/555166/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 210,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Nyamunga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 738,
        "legal_name": "Rose Nyamunga Ogendo",
        "slug": "rose-nyamunga-ogendo"
    },
    "content": "be very important for us to introduce some amendments to ensure that there are no repetitions or ambiguity in the Bill. There will be clarity. Fishing is a very important component. It will go a long way to improve the lives of our people, if it goes to the county level. There is a lot that can be done there. We can do a lot of fish farming in ponds. The Government spent a lot of money through the Economic Stimulus Programme. A lot of money went into the fishing industry. However, I do not think there was proper planning. If there was proper planning for the ponds that were put in place, there would not have been wastage. A lot of resources were provided for establishment of fish ponds, but the programme was implemented during the rainy season. Some fish ponds were established in the middle of nowhere, with no sources of water. In such cases, fish farming ended at end of the rainy season. Fish farming can be done properly by the county governments. They have many trained officers who can support farmers in making sure that fishing is done professionally, and that issues of hygiene are addressed. This will ensure that we compete at the international market. I know many fish farmers who have lost an opportunity to take their produce to the international market, including the European Union (EU), because of issues of hygiene. The issue comes about because the necessary infrastructure has not been put in place. There are no cold storage facilities on the fish landing beaches. If you go to Kisumu, you will see the way it is done. Refrigerated motor vehicles are not in place. By the time the fish reaches the market, it goes bad. Therefore, with the introduction of several amendments, this Bill should be supported by all Members, and not just by Members from the fishing areas. An hon. Member made a certain statement, but it does not mean that they can only support a Bill which concerns their constituencies. As leaders, we should support all Bills cutting across the country because we are doing this for the general good of the whole nation. It is because of that kind of thinking that fishing has lagged behind. The development programmes that have been undertaken in this country have been skewed in such a manner that the Lake Region has been left behind. That is why devolution is very important. The fact that some of the departments have been devolved means that each sub-county should develop their own resources and make sure that the citizens get maximum benefit from the resources that they have within their counties. With those remarks, I beg to support this Bill, but with a lot of amendments that will come at the right time."
}