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{
    "id": 947822,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/947822/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 198,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mutunga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13495,
        "legal_name": "John Kanyuithia Mutunga",
        "slug": "john-kanyuithia-mutunga"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to speak to this Bill. I would like to thank Hon. Bashir Abdullaih for bringing this Bill to the House. It is a very important Bill, and I will say why. We are a country that is reliant on agricultural resources and in terms of contribution to the GDP. Direct contribution of the sector is 34 per cent and indirect contribution is about 27 per cent. The livestock sector is one of the most important sub-sectors of agriculture. I would like to pick the definition of “livestock” to give comfort to our friends from the pastoral areas. Livestock is defined as cattle, camel, ship, goat, pig, poultry, rabbit, bees and also companion animals and drought animals as well as any other animal which the Cabinet Secretary may, by order in the Gazette, declare as livestock for purposes of this Act. I would like to join our friends from the pastoral areas by telling them that livestock is an important industry in the entire Kenya. It is not really for the pastoral areas. Therefore, we should have the comfort in discussing this Bill with all the confidence that we need. I would also like to reiterate the importance of the livestock sector, which contributes 12 per cent to the GDP. Despite the contribution of this livestock sector to the GDP, it is not given the prominence that other sectors get. I just want to compare the livestock sector with the manufacturing sector. The manufacturing sector contributes between 9 and 13 per cent to the GDP. It keeps on wavering between 9 and 13 per cent. Some of the individuals who have invested in manufacturing in this country are very well known when the entire livestock sector is not given the prominence it should be getting. So, the livestock sector is a very important sector and, therefore, we need to give this Bill all the support it requires. I just want to highlight a few important issues that have been brought up by this Bill, like regulating the products and livestock marketing. We need regulations for us to be able to access organised and reliable marketing systems. Without regulations, we may not be able to access the European and Middle East markets. We may not be able to produce sufficiently even to sustain supply to these markets. Promotion of trade of livestock is important. Trade is mainly promoted. We vote for money. We must set aside money for promotion of trade. Without a board or an organised way of doing this business, it is not possible for us to promote this product. We need to promote our livestock as different breeds for the various products they give us. If we have to achieve the Big Four Agenda, especially Agenda No.3, which is manufacturing, we need to produce a lot of livestock products so that they can feed the industries as raw materials. Without organising this industry, it is not possible for us to sustain supply of raw materials to these industries on a consistent and regular basis. We need advisory services and organised and credible advice to both the county governments and the national Government. We need a think-tank. This Bill comes in handy to create that think-tank in the form of a board that will be supported by a secretariat that will be focussing very carefully on issues that have to do with livestock. We need a consistent way of mobilising resources and managing these resources so that we may promote our livestock industry. Most of this country is ASAL. Being ASAL, we need to invest in range land improvement so that we can produce livestock in a more meaningful and The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}