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{
    "id": 850658,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/850658/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 396,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kinangop, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Zachary Thuku",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13380,
        "legal_name": "Zachary Kwenya Thuku",
        "slug": "zachary-kwenya-thuku"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I thank the Whip of the Majority Party for giving me this opportunity to second this very important Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Bill of 2018. I must say it is an honour to really be seconding this Bill when we have seniors here. In fact, I was sandwiched between two senior Members, the father of the House, Hon. Jimmy Angwenyi and Hon. Washiali. In seconding this Bill, I want to touch on three things as I support the amendments to all the 15 statutes that are under review. However, I want to single out three statutes that are very dear to me as much as the rest are also important. The first one is Dairy Industry Act, Cap 336, where we are trying to bring about standards and recognition of milk. There is a whole new definition of milk because we are now recognising camel and goat milk. On the same, we are also trying to bring about a levy for the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) for purposes of standardisation. Going forward, as much as I second and support, maybe once we get to the Committee stage, we will see the kind of amendments we are going to introduce to the same. The levy that is proposed of 1 per centum per kilogramme could be punitive to the farmer. Definitely, processors are going to push back the burden of paying the 1 per cent to the KDB to our farmers. That could be discriminatory. The begging question is whether the same levies are charged on other produce like coffee, tea and sugarcane. Going forward, we are going to look at that and I think this is going to elicit very many questions and interests from different players and representatives of constituencies where dairy farming is done. The other issue is on the Crop Act, where we are trying to introduce standards and also encouraging the same so that then, we can realise one of the Big Four Agenda of manufacturing. There is the issue of value addition. I come from Kinangop Constituency where we do a lot of farming, but we do things the traditional way. We produce and sell our produce in raw form. So, the issue of value addition that is going to be supported by this Act is important. I feel that it is going to get massive support from this House. The other issue that I want to speak on is the National Health Insurance Fund, which we are transitioning from the National Hospital Insurance Fund. It is important. I know there are some sections that are talking of having an employer match the amount that is paid by the employee. This is going to bring about social support and help us in the realisation of universal health coverage. In fact, there are senior members of our society who cannot pay this. We have issues of retired teachers and civil servants who cannot afford to even sustain paying their obligation to the NHIF. Therefore, if employers are going to match up the amount that is paid by the employees, then we are going to have a Fund that is able to cater for those who are not able to pay like. We have the same provisions in the NSSF Act. Finally, as I second, I want to touch on the issue of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act. We have seen some challenges in procurement because of the law. Those issues are going to be addressed with the amendment to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015. I take this opportunity to second and to support the Bill. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}