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{
    "id": 607163,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/607163/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "God was not foolish to give us black cotton soil. We have given all sorts of argument as to why we cannot grow cotton. We are saying that there are no incentives for farmers and that the industry has collapsed, yet, hon. Members of this House continue wearing cotton garments. We must provide the right incentives for our people to exploit some of these resources that God gave us. The good God also gave us Lake Victoria and all the fish therein. At the moment, we export all the fish while our women and children are left with something called – for lack of an English equivalent – “ mgongo wazi.” We are left with the skeleton of a fish, which is what we put on the table everyday while the fillet is exported to the European Union (EU). We are misusing the talent that God gave us. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we were given Ruma National Park and all the animals therein, yet we are not exploiting it for its tourism potential. The challenge for the people of Homa Bay and this august House when Christ comes is; will we be like the foolish servant who buried his talent or the wise one who multiplied his talent? Beyond the challenges that we face at the county level, nationally, we have challenges too. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I believe that it is the mandate of this Senate to discuss some of those challenges. As we speak, this country is in a state of digital darkness. I am an ICT expert, and I have spent many years in that sector. I appreciate the benefits of digital migration and I know that by freeing up spectrum, there is a lot more that we can do. However, as a leader of a county like Homa Bay, my first consideration will be that fish-monger in Remba Island. I would ask myself what that person stands to gain in this digital migration. If she has a choice of buying a new television set or buying a digital set-top box, compare that with taking a child to school, what then is the order of priority? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have seen that there are countries that have requested to defer their migration because they are not ready. There is nothing that stops Kenya from seeking for a deferment on the basis of lack of readiness. Being a maiden speech, I expected that I would go beyond the mandatory time but I beg---"
}