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{
    "id": 850180,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/850180/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 485,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kiminini, FORD-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Chris Wamalwa",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": "framework is implemented. It is long overdue. I know it overstayed in the other House, the lower House. We are requesting the Senators to speed up when this Bill finds its way there. I do not know whether it will go back. We do not want to go into mediation. We are humbly requesting them to look at this Bill objectively. We are not debating for purposes of competing on which House is higher than the other. We are debating and legislating for public good of this country. Having said that, I also want to briefly mention something crucial the Leader of the Majority Party had mentioned - interest rates. I know we passed a law for capping of interest rates by banks, whereby there can only be a margin of 14 per cent on the base rate. When it comes to SACCOs, they have been charging 12 per cent interest on reducing balance. This is something that we must embrace so that we can provide alternatives in this country so that we move forward. I bought my first house in Nairobi through a SACCO. I am humbly requesting the Hon. Members wherever they are to support this. I bought land in Kitengela through the university SACCO called Chuna SACCO. They bought land and then sold it at affordable price without putting a big profit margin. This is an industry that has to be regulated. When you look at Government policy of housing, if we embrace the issues of SACCOs, this country is going to go very far. There is the issue of maize where I come from. It is high time we move in. It is very disappointing to learn that the Government is giving Kshs2,300 per bag of maize. The poor farmers from Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Bungoma are really suffering. The production cost of maize is way beyond Kshs2,300. It is the responsibility of Government to take care of the interests of its citizens – the great farmers of this country in this case. It is very shameful what is happening. I saw the chairman of the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) who is a former minister, a good farmer and someone I respect so much coming to say that Kshs2,300 is okay. It is very disappointing. We are disappointed. As a Member from that region, we are doing a petition to the Government to review the prices and go to at least Kshs3,500. That is so that the poor farmer is able to recoup the money he used. It is the process of this money that we take to these SACCOs."
}