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{
    "id": 821307,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/821307/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, more radical questions need to be asked; Why is it not possible for maize to be a factor of the economy? Is it that the demand is not there? We know it is there. Can we subsidize it heavily like it is done in other countries where staple food is realised? Why is it that the Government has to buy it? Why does the Government not buy potatoes and other produce that we see, in as much as maize is a staple food, and we need a certain quantity for food security? Why can we not start thinking outside the box so that we can redeem and emancipate the maize farmer in the Rift Valley, the sugar cane farmer in western Kenya through modern ways of looking at agriculture and factors of economic development? I want to challenge this Committee - the task on you is onerous and heavy - because the Senate has already gotten a good reputation of doing serious, thorough inquiries into issues thanks to the Select Committee on Solai Dam tragedy and the Ruaraka Committee which I am assuming their report is thorough since I have not looked at it and many other inquiries we have been dealing with, unlike our friends on the other side. Madam Temporary Speaker, this Committee has that task ahead of them, that, for once, we will get closure and practical solutions to our maize farmers. In as much as we want to address this in Uasin Gishu County, let that not be the goal but to give us far reaching solutions that will transform the farmer in this country. We must make sure, as a House, that the recommendations are protected and implemented. The issue of maize being imported into Kenya has continued to impoverish our farmers. As Sen. Wetangula has said, maize is imported from Uganda and other countries. We must understand why we are not able to produce enough. Secondly, these periods where duty free tax maize imports are allowed is inordinately longer than the period needed. This Committee must find out why that is happening and we want to hear names of who is behind the importation. Finally, this Committee should also look at the stalled Galana-Kulalu Project. At that time, most of us were hesitant, because we knew what it will do to other parts of the country that have been traditionally growing maize. We saw the kind of output that came from Galana-Kulalu Project, where I think close to a million acres, we got very little grains of maize yet millions of shillings went into that project. Let us understand what is going on, so that we can make sure that even as we increase maize production in other areas, we cushion those whose bedrock and only survival has been this crop. With those remarks, I wish to support and also urge you - because you sit in the Procedure and Rules Committee - that we agree on certain rules on how committees handle business supposed to be squarely within their mandate and what business ad hoc committees can look at. In the same vein, we are proposing that statements that are sought by Senators must be countywide or inter-county so that we do not duplicate what Members of County Assemblies are doing in the County Assemblies. In the same way, if a matter can squarely be handled by one committee, let us strengthen those committees so that you do not take away from others. I have seen Sen. Wambua, Sen. Wetangula and many others have lined up Motions proposing establishment of select committees. If we take Members from the traditional committees, we might find that the Committees, in which originally Members 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."
}