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{
    "id": 947342,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/947342/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 123,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kibiru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13196,
        "legal_name": "Charles Reubenson Kibiru",
        "slug": "charles-reubenson-kibiru"
    },
    "content": "Secondly, industrial sugar was imported during that period. According to the regulations, industrial sugar is not classified as emergency food, but it was imported duty-free. It affected a number of industries that deal with imported sugar. Since we also called the multi-agencies, another issue that came out is that there are a lot of delays in verification and clearance of cargo at the Mombasa Port and the inland container depot. We talked to the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and emphasized the need for them to expedite the process. The final observation is that the duty free sugar was cheaper than locally produced sugar. The sugar that wholesalers and other traders had earlier imported and paid duty for was affected by the duty-free sugar that was imported. The following are the recommendations that we made. It is important that we see how they can be implemented as a Senate and as a country. The recommendations are as follows- (1) There is need for public participation which should be mandatory before any gazette notice is issued for importation of duty-free sugar in line with the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. (2) The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries should differentiate between industrial sugar and table sugar. Further, only recognized and registered manufacturers should be allowed to import industrial sugar. (3) The relevant bodies should evaluate and report back on the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) commitments with regard to the sugar sector and the impact of the COMESA deadlines. (4) The responsible agencies should expedite clearance of standardized and pre- verified cargo in Mombasa and the Inland Container Depot Nairobi (ICDN). The traders across board are suffering a lot because of the bureaucracies. (5) Where the Government imports sugar cheaper than the local sugar, the Government should compensate the local sugar manufacturer, the wholesalers and retail traders to the extent of the difference between the duty-free sugar and the sugar that is locally manufactured. (6) There is need for a mechanization of processes of sugar cane production so that we are also competitive. I thank you."
}