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{
    "id": 654266,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/654266/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. H.K. Njuguna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1508,
        "legal_name": "Humphrey Kimani Njuguna",
        "slug": "humphrey-kimani-njuguna"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I rise in support of this Bill. I also take cognisance of the proposed amendments, particularly from Hon. Millie Odhiambo and the other Hon. Members, who have talked about the need to have a legal framework because, constitutionally, the focus was on the benefit to the indigenous community. As I support this Bill, I recognise the fact that we need to come up with amendments to develop a legal framework so that the local community can benefit. This Bill is about indigenous seeds and plant varieties. It is recognition of the fact that we need to protect what is indigenous and what is ours. We are recognising the fact that indigenous plants and seeds have a value in our society traditionally even at this time. I can compare this with the efforts we are making to conserve our wildlife. We have realised that we cannot have elephants or lions in Europe. God has given the gift of our wildlife. If we do not take care of the wildlife, we might lose the gift that God has given us for free. Some of those seeds and plant varieties cannot be found in Europe and elsewhere. They are here because of our ecosystems. We need to protect them because of the value they give our society. In early 2000, I had a patient suffering from HIV/AIDS. Those days, there was a lot of stigma. I remember a conventional doctor, a professor, telling me that the patient could not live for more than 30 years. In other words, the doctor had given up. When the conventional doctor gives up, what other recourse do you have? You have to turn to herbal medicine. I could not believe the benefits. When we went back three months later, the doctor said he thought the patient was dead. To date, the patient is still there. So, there is value in those indigenous plants and varieties. I also had a cancer patient. The doctor said that the patient could not go even for surgical operation because of where the cancer had reached. The patient was told that he could not live for 30 days. Again, we turned to herbal medicine and the patient lived for another four years. So, there is value in indigenous seeds and plant varieties. There is value in some of this indigenous knowledge. The question is: How do we protect it and make sure that the community benefits? I The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}