Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 67559,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/67559/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 169,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 166,
        "legal_name": "Martha Wangari Karua",
        "slug": "martha-karua"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the last time we had this situation it resulted in a maize scandal, where some members of Government and their allies lined their pockets with money intended to help starving Kenyans. I am asking that this time round, in the first place, the Government must buy the grains from Kenyan farmers. It beats logic to refuse to increase the price for Kenyan farmers and later pay five or six times the amount the Kenyan farmers were demanding to import maize from foreign lands. We are calling upon the Government to take very quick action to buy all the excess grain in Rift Valley and other parts of Kenya. It should also extend the buying of grains not just to maize but also rice, sorghum and all the other grains, to mitigate the famine. The Government should also come up with a policy of cushioning Kenyan farmers, so that they are able to multiply their farming activities and invest more, so long as the Government guarantees them the market. This is because it should be bought for our silos and strategic grain reserves, so that it can be used at a time like this. We are tired of being a hungry nation mainly because of poor planning. The Mover of the Motion has talked about a country like Egypt and the rest which hardly receive any rainfall, but have invested in water infrastructure and in efficient use of water. Kenya must embrace technology and more so, we must monitor the funds that are allocated so that they do not end up enriching few people. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation has about Kshs24 billion for development while the Ministry of Agriculture has a big budget. We want to see co-ordination between these two Ministries and the Ministry of State for Special Programmes so that we do not always react in panic and manage by crisis when disaster strikes. The Government should take this Motion seriously and move with speed to alleviate any death of both human beings and livestock. The Government should move and buy livestock from the farmers so that they can have the ability to restock when it is green again. Let us all support this Motion and call upon the Government to act immediately. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to second the Motion."
}