Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 807994,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/807994/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 482,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "June 21, 2018 SENATE DEBATES 44 Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Statement by, Sen. Olekina. Madam Temporary Speaker, input financing is a model that has been used in different industries like tobacco, sugar, milk and even maize production. However, most often, it has left a bitter taste in the mouths of farmers. This statement indicates that the arrangement was that premiums on the cost of input financing would be deducted when farmers sold their produce to malting firms or whoever was consuming the end product. However, it is clear that, that deduction was not done. Madam Temporary Speaker, under the input financing scheme, there is usually a financier and an underwriter; and that is where the CIC Insurance Group Limited and UAP Insurance Company Limited come in. My belief is that they are providing some crop insurance. I used to be in this industry and we pioneered some of the earliest weather index-based insurance products in Kenya. I am glad that when the Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mr. Rotich, last week said that the National Treasury will provide regulations on that. However, Madam Temporary Speaker, the problem that we are dealing with is the listing of innocent farmers with the CRB. The statistics we have is that more than 400,000 Kenyans have been listed with CRBs for owing Kshs200 or less; and 300,000 Kenyans have been listed for owing Kshs100 or less. Most of these loans have been taken from mobile money platforms. What is the implication of this? Once you have been listed, you have to pay at least Kshs2,000 for you to get a certificate of clearance. Therefore, you will find a Kenyan took a loan of Ksh100 on the mobile money platform, thinking that he will pay it back at some point, and he or she fails to do that. This Kenyan will then be listed and he or she must find Kshs2,000 to get a certificate of clearance. We have become so ridiculous that to get a job in the Public Service in Kenya, you must provide a certificate of clearance, even for small undertakings like to become a watchman. The other day, I saw an advert for a cook in a public school, where a certificate of clearance was required. Madam Temporary Speaker, I support this Statement. The call to action should be, one, that the Committee on Delegated Legislation and the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget must revisit the regulations for the CRBs; especially the ones cited by Sen. Olekina. Two, we must tell banks to stop being lazy, because they are using a “yes” or “no” kind of assessment. If you are listed in the CRB, then you do not get a loan. Banks must start doing credit scoring because they have got the money to invest in technology. The person who is listed for Kshs100 and the one listed for Kshs50 million should be treated differently. Unfortunately, banks are treating the two defaulters in a similar manner. Banks---"
}