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{
    "id": 619784,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/619784/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 275,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Washiali came and apologised before the Committee for casting aspersions that the Committee had received bribes. In fact, the Committee wanted him expelled. We are all politicians in this House. I would want to be re-elected in Mbita just as much as he would want to be re-elected in Mumias East, but he cannot use the platform of the House to cast aspersions on us, so that I am not re-elected and he is re-elected. I am sure this weekend he will go to Mumias and say: “Did you see how I almost boxed Hon. Millie Odhiambo fighting for sugarcane?” It is time the country got to know the truth. Let us not use the Floor of the House for cheap politics. If he wants to get votes, let him just go directly to Mumias and ask his people to vote for him based on the work he has done, but not by besmirching the names of other Hon. Members. We need to look at the management of Mumias Sugar Company around that period, but definitely Parliament does not have that capacity. On the issue of cheap and unregulated sugar that is flooding the market, I know, unfortunately, that even though there is a bit of politicking about the sugar that is in Mombasa especially in relation to the Governor of Mombasa, we are seeing sugar that has been found in Mombasa. If you are talking about small companies who want to compete against people who are bringing cheap imports from Brazil and other countries and purporting it to be local sugar, how do you expect us to compete? I thank my brother, Hon. Ababu, who is sitting next to me. He was asking whether the Committee has made an earthshaking recommendation. I can say no. We have not made an earthshaking recommendation because the earthshaking recommendation is these two things. Forget the sugar industry and go for something else or deal with corruption. This is because all these things are about corruption. Cheap sugar is coming because of corruption. Mismanagement, poaching and all these things I have mentioned are due to corruption, some of which I saw as a lawyer. It is so clear. When I get into a contract with you to supply and I have given you inputs, you should supply your final produce. When these matters are taken to court, it takes many years. By the time a court decision is made, the sugar is stale. So, the only earthshaking recommendation is forget about sugar and diversify, but if we do not want to forget about sugar because the lives of many Kenyans would be affected, then deal firmly with corruption. Until the Government gets serious about dealing with corruption, we are cheating sugarcane farmers. Some of the Members that were the most theatric in this process - we have information - are the sugar barons. They create a lot of drama in the House and they are sugar barons. We have evidence which we will be tabling next week. So, if we are serious and we want to help the thousands of Kenyans who are in this industry, we must deal with corruption. My entire clan lives in Awendo and they plant sugarcane. Whenever I visit there for funerals or other functions, they tell me: Mheshimiwa, please, speak about the sugar industry”. So, I have made it my business to know about what is ailing the sugar industry. For me, the only earthshaking thing is to deal very firmly with corruption. I want to challenge the presidency that I have learnt about anti-corruption strategies and until and unless there is goodwill right at the top, we will only be scratching the surface. I support."
}