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{
    "id": 668685,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/668685/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 274,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Maanzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2197,
        "legal_name": "Daniel Kitonga Maanzo",
        "slug": "daniel-kitonga-maanzo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I wish to second this very important Motion. This is very important for the country of Kenya. In Kenya, we have the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) as a key stakeholder. They are the ones who will implement the Protocol. This Protocol is overdue and other countries have already assented to it. It was assented to by the five Heads of State of EAC partner states in their Summit in 2012. It was expected to be ratified by 30th June 2014. A new deadline of 30th June 2014 has been set. It is very important for the Parliament of Kenya to pass this so that we may join partner states. I also wish to say that this falls under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). They are agreements of international standards, setting bodies on safety, namely the Office of International Animal Health and the Office of International Plant Protection Convention. To digest it, it is a way of making sure that diseases of animals and plants do not cross the borders without proper measures and protection. That is why when we travel to other countries, we are at times asked to declare whether we are carrying any animals, plants or seeds so that a seed does not find itself in another country illegally. This is being implemented all over the world. That is why we are saying that it affects world trade, particularly the case of animal diseases. For example, the Maa Community along the Rift Valley which connects from Tanzania and Somalia have animals. We also have animals in the north like Ethiopia and other places. Therefore, when our pastoralists move around, the animals are likely to carry diseases and carry them across borders. That is why I have said that the KEPHIS office in Kenya is extremely important because it is the one which regulates this. Now it has to join other international bodies so that it can work with them within East Africa. It can have the necessary law for it to implement its mandate. That is why this Protocol is extremely important. The Vice-Chair of the Committee has gone through what is contained in that Protocol. It also appears in our Report. The Report was assented to and, indeed, it received a lot of support. It is extremely important because we need to be part of the world in relation to this matter. We should pass it to be law by using our own regulations. The rules and regulations must be science- based and only applied to the extent necessary to protect human, animal and plant life or health. When animals get sick or pick diseases from other countries when there is no regulation, that disease automatically goes to human beings and we are likely to lose lives. When animals are sick or do not fit international standards, Kenya finds it very difficult to export its beef to other countries and our market gets depressed. If we do not export beef, our Kenya Meat Commission suffers a serious drawback and the investments Kenyans put into it ends up into waste. When it relates to plants, we have flowers which are exported from Kenya to European markets. If there are no proper protocols, then the European Union (EU) will be very reluctant to deal with products from our country. The moment the Kenya Plant health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) certify that our flowers and other commodities like coffee and tea, which find their way to international markets, have met international standards and have complied with the necessary treaties locally and international, then those countries find it easy to trade with us. The moment there is a ban, our farmers are likely to suffer in a big way. This is also how we earn foreign exchange. This is an extremely important Protocol. It is also monitored internationally by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other economic blocs and zones. It will be good for international purposes for Kenya to fit with the rest of the world when it comes 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."
}