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{
    "id": 873078,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/873078/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 90,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kamar",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 33,
        "legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
        "slug": "margaret-kamar"
    },
    "content": "inquire into the maize crisis in the country and it gave us five items to look at. (i) Why farmers who have delivered their produce to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) have not been paid to date, that is, as at that time; (ii) The quantity of duty-free maize imported into the country during the duty-free period which was to end in October, 2017 and why the period was extended; (iii) The challenges facing the maize farmers and the NCPB and make recommendations on how to resolve the challenges; (iv) The maize received by the NCPB for the 2017/18 season and to establish the suppliers; and (v) The criteria for identification of millers and business persons involved in the importation of maize to the country. We want to thank this House for giving us the opportunity to investigate this matter. As we investigated this matter, we realised that the importation of duty-free maize in 2017 was shrouded in mystery all through as most of the Government agencies that came before us gave us different and conflicting information. The maize crisis that led to the flooding of duty-free maize imported into the country seems to have been a ploy between both the public and private sector players to profiteer. I say this because there is a gazette notice that triggered the importation. The first gazette notice was Gazette Notice No. 3575 dated 13th April, 2017, which allowed for maize to be imported up to 31st July, 2017. When you look at the gazette notice, it says that anybody can import though we are going to look at who imported. It was actually open for all, according to the gazette notice. There was another gazette notice that authorised an extension and that is Gazette Notice No. 6398 dated 4th July, 2017, which extended it to 30th September, 2017. There was a second extension by a third Gazette Notice No. 7248 dated 27th July, 2017, which extended to 15th October, 2017. It was, therefore, expected that from 15th October, 2017, any maize that is brought to the country should pay duty. Apparently, that did not happen. The authorities sought an extension and the gazette notice No. 6398 was as per minutes that we received from the Cabinet Secretary (CS), minutes of 21st June, 2017"
}