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{
    "id": 784126,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/784126/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 320,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I need to hurry because I can see I am being warned. I move to the part on the authority that shall be set up. I want to quickly rush through it because it is the part that I have a lot of reservations about. There are certain things which I feel if they are not properly addressed, then I may not vote in support of this Bill, despite all the good benefits that are described therein. First, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, is something that you have heard me speak about on so many occasions. That in setting up all the authorities and parastatals that we keep on setting in this House, we want to headquarter them in Nairobi. I have continued to question what is so special about Nairobi City County that every authority we are forming is headquartered here. Even the authorities that address issues that Nairobians are so ignorant about; we still want to house them in Nairobi City County. It will make greater sense if counties that continue to be affected by food security challenges like Turkana, Marsabit and parts of Moyale house such authorities. That way, they will enjoy so many benefits because they will be meeting the people they work for on a day to day basis. However, I do not also think that all the measures being proposed in this Bill cannot be handled by certain departments in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to warrant creation of another parastatal. There is a bad trend that is being set where, for every problem that we feel we need to address as a county, we set up a parastatal. In economics, inflation means too much money chasing too few goods. Similarly in Kenya, we need to find a word that will define too many parastatals chasing too few services. There is no justification for all this because that is a continued burden to the taxpayer. I, therefore, request the Committee when they look at this Bill to find out whether it is possible to think through it and say that we can still achieve this by setting up a department in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. We will then see to it that the people who are in that office ensure that we achieve what this Bill is targeting without setting up a separate authority. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, another thing that I have taken great issue with, is that in constituting the members that shall serve in this board--- I cannot seem to get it in my notes; but here it is, in Part IV of Clause 13. It says that amongst the people listed to feature in this board, there shall be two persons nominated by the Council of Governors (CoG). To the best of my knowledge and reading of this Bill, this appears to me to be an oversight body. Why are we delegating our duties as the Senate? Why do we want the CoG to nominate people who will oversight their work? It says in this Bill that we shall be questioning governors on the measures and plans they are putting in place to make their counties food secure. Do you now want the same governors to be audited by their nominees? These two nominees should come from the Senate. I dare say that if the Committee returns this Bill in this format, where we want the CoG to nominate, then I will have great reservations and I may not support it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there are so many things that I wished to raise, but because I am out of time, let me leave it at that and hope that maybe other thoughts will be shared with the Committee that will look into this Bill. 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."
}