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{
    "id": 877998,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/877998/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 439,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "the farmers because the opening the window for importation of maize was being done at the time they were harvesting maize in Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Bungoma and other parts of this country. It is sad that the meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Security that was attended by high-ranking Government official decided to ruin our farmers. That meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretaries and it was chaired by the Head of Public Service, Mr. Joseph K. Kinyua. In as much as the matter is in court and we have names like Lesiyampe and others being mentioned, I urge the DCI and the DPP to investigate the issue. Our maize farmers are now suffering because payments have not been made to date. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you read through the annexures, you will be shocked to see that when the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) sampled maize that was cleared to enter the country, over 63 per cent of it was found to contain high levels of aflatoxin. When we were in Mosoriot and Kabiyet in Nandi County, you could see the anger of farmers because of negligence of individuals who sit in Nairobi in air-conditioned offices and do some of these things. That is the same scenario even in Kisii or Uasin Gishu. These issues must be dealt with firmly. We hope that the DCI and the DPP will take up the matter. The people mentioned here must face full force of the law. There should be justice to maize farmers of this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you see me standing here, it is because of maize. I know how maize is grown. We went to school because of maize and maize is our way of life. We have commercialized maize for the benefit of all of us. It is shocking that the issues of maize, which is the staple food for Kenya, are being handled in a wish-wash manner. The issues of maize must be dealt with, once and for all, and the Inter- Ministerial Committee on Food Security must face full force of the law. You will agree with me that there was no basis for the Government to do away with the issue of subsidized fertiliser. We are aware that they need Kshs10 billion to import around 745 metric tonnes to sustain farmers that need subsidized fertiliser. The programme giving subsidized fertiliser to our farmers, which was started during the time of former President Mwai Kibaki, must be sustained because our farmers need an opportunity to plant their maize. The Kshs10 billion should be provided to purchase the fertiliser. In any case, we are losing a lot of money. We have had scandals like the National Youth Service (NYS) I and NYS II. That money could have been given to farmers who are now at the mercy of merchants and cartels of this country when it comes to the issue of fertiliser. The Government must reconsider the subsidized fertiliser programme for our maize, tea, coffee and other farmers. Finally, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we must relook at the National Cereals and Produce Board Act of 1994. We must look at the issue of farmer registration. We must also zero-rate pest control, because we need to. The Value Added Tax (VAT) has been levied on pest control, and yet we need those pesticides that control diseases that will destroy maize. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}