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"id": 784113,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. From the onset, I support this Bill that has been ably moved. Most of these issues have been highlighted by Sen. Murkomen who happens to have been my lecturer way back in Moi University School of Law. He taught me some of these issues to do with the basic human rights. Sen. Murkomen, the Senate Majority Leader, has dissected and done a very commendable job by going through the Bill. I am impressed because he was my teacher and he will always remain my teacher. I will always take cue from him. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, socio-economic rights might be new to many Kenyans because this is the first time we are having a progressive Constitution that gives prominence, under Article 43(c), to the issue of freedom from hunger. As a country, it is very important that we ensure all our citizenry across the nation are food secure. This Bill is also very important because, apparently, one of the “Big Four” Agenda Programmes of His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Jubilee administration has been food security. Therefore, it is timely and it is very important that, as we move forward, we ensure all our people are catered for. Even if you look at Article 28 of the Constitution on human dignity, it provides that we should ensure inherent dignity of the citizenry even from poor backgrounds. The vulnerable will always be taken care of and it will redeem their dignity. It will give them a sense of belonging. The country is not sympathizing with the poor by making this law. It is our responsibility as a nation to ensure every citizen can access food. It is a basic human right enshrined in the progressive Bill of Rights which is celebrated across the continent. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Bill provides for the vulnerable people in our country, for example, pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. As Sen. Ndwiga said, when some of us were in the primary school we were privileged to take nyayo milk which was very nutritious. I went to St Francis, Chepterit Primary School, Mosoriot. Every Tuesday we were excited because we knew we would have a packet of nyayo milk. Therefore, the feeding programme will ensure that our children access the right to food which is one of the basic rights of any human being entrenched in Article 53 of the Constitution. This will also help the lactating mothers and reduce the high mortality rates across our counties. Going forward, it is important for our mothers to give birth to healthy children. When we have healthy people, we will have a healthy nation. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Sen. Murkomen, Sen. Cheruiyot, yourself and I, are agriculturists. We have always engaged in farming activities. Clause 5(d) says:- “Put in place mechanisms that will ensure the availability of farm inputs and implements and other mechanisms of food production in order to facilitate food production.” The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}