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{
    "id": 784122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/784122/?format=api",
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    "content": "been instances in other African countries and even in our country, where we heard that imported maize was not planted in the conditions set for maize for human consumption. Some of it was to feed horses but because of poverty and also tenderpreneurs – the common word that is being used this afternoon – we ended up with yellow maize. If you are a poor Kenyan farmer and that is the only food available and it is what you can afford, what choice do you have between starvation and buying cheap maize? Even if it was planted for horses, Kenyans have no choice but to eat ugali from yellow maize. With the passage of this Bill, the Authority shall ensure that food that is provided for Kenyan consumers is good and of acceptable quality. There is also something that is defined as “food eligibility card”. In other countries, it is known as Food Stamp, where people show up and say that they are unable to feed themselves. It is the duty of governments, which are governed by a constitution such as ours, to ensure that all its citizens feed themselves. Therefore, we have these cards. I have just creatively thought about something that the implementers may want to consider. Is it possible to extend this food card to even some of our extremely fashionable and expensive food chains in terms of tax breaks? It will be such that if you offer services to a holder of the food eligibility card, you redeem what you may have lost as an establishment in terms of tax breaks. That way, you have many of these people that sometimes pass through five star and posh dining places and keep wondering when they will ever get to taste and enjoy a meal there. Those are just my thoughts and something that we may want to consider. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let me move to Part IV of the Bill that says all persons under this Act, shall in performance of the functions under this Act, be guided by the following principles in addition to the national values set out in Article 10 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. This is extremely important. I am sure you are not a stranger to this kind of problem because I know you come from a pastoralist county. However, many at times when we have Government intervention in terms of food provision to deserving Kenyans, it never ends up on the tables of these deserving Kenyans. I do not know how true it is, but many times, these people look forward to being posted to the far-flung parts of this country that are drought-prone so that they can manage drought mitigation budgets in terms of food that is sent to them. What do they do? They repack the same food, bring it to Nairobi and sell it. It is a shame! But these things have been known to happen. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, they were not doing that for lack of better laws, because it is illegal and they know that it is wrong. Now that we are setting up an authority that will ensure that such things cease to happen in our country, it is important that these values that have been listed in this Bill guide what will be expected of all persons who are supposed to give life to this Bill. It includes coordination of public participation in Part D of Clause 4 in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and control policies of plans related to food security and nutrition. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, with the emerging challenges in our diet and nutrition, it is good to have professionals educate Kenyans to realize that there are other foods available beyond what we know as our staple foods. I do not want to go deeper into 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."
}