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{
    "id": 975597,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/975597/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 365,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mwea, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Josphat Kabinga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13441,
        "legal_name": "Josphat Kabinga Wachira",
        "slug": "josphat-kabinga-wachira-2"
    },
    "content": "Another area that we need to look at is the attempt to balance between the provision of services as a social commodity and as a business case. Business case here means putting money where it will come out in a big number. This is more in areas that generate income. Agriculture is an area that we really need to look at. Sometimes I get worried when I do not see a lot of focus in that area. When I go to my place in Mwea, I see farmers struggling to do rice farming with no help. There are no agricultural extension officers in the scheme yet we are still talking about unemployment among the youth who have completed university. I see young men and women trying to grow tomatoes sometimes being caught up by weather because there is nobody to advise them. I feel that we need to put in more resources into those areas and put in more resources into access roads especially in agricultural areas and own-farm roads. You should be there when our farmers are harvesting to see the struggle as they get farm produce from farms on carts. All we need is little money to put into some of these farms and generate more farm produce and more income to the farmers and to the nation. I agree that we also need to look at areas that need to be developed. As we do so, let us balance out between providing services as a way of addressing issues that appertain to marginalisation and also ensure that we put in resources to the historical areas that are known to generate funds that support the economy. If we do that, we will have a growth that is well balanced. Another area that I want to touch on is on monitoring of the Budget. Because my brother here wants to get some minutes, I will be very quick. Monitoring of Budget especially by Parliament is wanting. It is high time we had various committees make quarterly reports on how they are faring in the implementation of the Budget by the Executive. That is an area that we are failing. The other thing is on use of ICT for transparency. Instead of having people queue to know whether they are being paid for their produce, let us support the use of ICT so that more transparency can be realised. I support this Motion. I donate the remaining minutes to my brother. Thank you."
}