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{
    "id": 563726,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/563726/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 387,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, Article 43 of the Constitution talks about economic and social rights. Article 43 (1) says:- “Every person has the right- (a) To the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care; (b) to accessible and adequate housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation; ( c ) to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality; ( d ) to clean and safe water in adequate quantities; (e) to social security; and ( f ) to education.” There are places in this Republic where at certain times of the year, people have access to only one meal for almost a week. We have had the ability and opportunity to provide food for our people, by creating the right policies, but we have not done it. My colleague has introduced this Bill, so that we can actualize the provision of Article 43 of the Constitution. Every Kenyan wherever they are should have enough food. Clause 5 of this Bill talks about the right to food. It says that the national Government and county governments shall respect, protect and fulfill the human right to food and guarantee mechanisms for its enforcement. It lists about 15 measures that need to be taken by the national Government and county governments in order for a person to enjoy the right to adequate food and freedom. Clause 5 (2) (i) and (k) says:- “Protect individuals, groups and communities from encroachment or interference by any person to the access to food; (k) take all reasonable measures to ensure that food resources and sources of food production are protected from destruction and are sustained for future use.” Madam Temporary Speaker, this Bill lists what should be done. It even goes further to talk about an authority that should be formed, which will manage and take care of this. It suggests who should sit in the board, be the Chief Executive Officer and so on. Last year, the Jubilee Government reduced the number of parastatals from over 240 to around 180 now. This Bill will deal with a very stubborn problem. In 1963, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta talked about three problems that were a mess in Kenya. He mentioned hunger, disease and illiteracy. Hunger has not been eliminated or reduced in the last 52 years. That means that this proposed parastatal or authority must be based in every county. We should not make the mistake of basing it in the national Government. Initially it was under the Minister of Internal Security and now it is under the Ministry of Devolution and Planning. Whenever there is an emergency, it is at the will and pleasure of the relevant department to always release food or allocate money for the importation of food. By the time the importation takes place, many people and middlemen will have been involved. Therefore, an authority should be formed in every county. The authority should work with the Ministry of Devolution and Planning, so that money meant for food security is distributed equally. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}