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{
    "id": 62139,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/62139/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 328,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, a fertilizer factory would fertilize the field, enhance productivity, produce food and enhance life. A bullet factory would terminate life. It is ironical that out of the two priorities, we were actually able to put billions and billions of shillings into a bullet factory that is doing very well; we fail to put up a fertilizer factory that would have enhanced productivity in our nation. It would have removed Kenya from the list of food insecure nations of the world. We know that as a nation we have been talking about this issue of a fertilizer factory for many years. I remember that when we came to this Parliament in 2008 Mr. Amos Kimunya, who was the Minister for Finance then, talked about this issue during the 2008/2009 Budget. He indicated that the Government had plans to set up a fertilizer factory. The Government was working with other member States of the East African Community (EAC) to establish this plant. Since 2008 we have not seen any practical steps being taken by the Government to ensure that this fertilizer factory is established. However, we know that through the regional platform of the EAC the Government, together with other member States, has been talking about having a joint venture through the EAC in form of this fertilizer factory. We know that Kenya might not be best suited, according to arguments advanced by other member States. They argue that raw material are available in Uganda and Tanzania; therefore, this fertilizer factory should not be established in Kenya. We know that the slow process of implementing this joint venture has arisen because of issues that have been under argument at that level. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, of all the member States, Kenya is the biggest consumer of fertilizer in the region. Indeed, from the estimates given we know that Kenya consumes over 500,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. Countries like Uganda, because of their soils, do not consume as much fertilizer as Kenya. Uganda is estimated to consume about 25,000 metric of fertilizer. Comparing that with what Kenya consumes annually--- Every year Kenyan farmers demand fertilizer and have never been able to receive it on time. We believe it is the wearer of the shoe who knows where it pinches. It is Kenya that actually needs this fertilizer more than the other member States. Everything should be done to ensure that--- Even if we are to go it alone initially, and our sister States in the EAC join us later, we should establish this fertilizer factory. We know that over the years it was just a dream of our founding fathers. It was just a noble calling. Under Article 43(1) (c) of our Constitution, every person has a right to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality. It is no longer just a noble dream or noble calling. It is now a constitutional right for Kenyans to be free from hunger. So, for a country that has the capacity to produce enough food, not just for its citizens but also for export, this Constitution now places upon us a heavier responsibility than before to ensure that we develop strategies and policies that will ensure our national food security. We should ensure that we have enough food to feed close to 40 million Kenyans in this nation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is a matter of great irony that after all these years, as a nation, we are yet to develop a national food security policy. Perhaps the Minister will tell us about this. The time has come now, with the passing of the new Constitution that we must have a comprehensive national food security policy to ensure that this country achieves national food security, this nation upholds the provisions of Article 43(1) (c) and that no Kenyan should ever die of hunger. This is because we have"
}