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{
    "id": 980023,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/980023/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 269,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nyando, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Jared Okelo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13457,
        "legal_name": "Jared Odoyo Okelo",
        "slug": "jared-odoyo-okelo-2"
    },
    "content": "bodies. Of course, Government bodies are known for three major things: mismanagement, squandering of public resources and they, within a short period of time, ground to a halt. If we have identified the systemic problems bedevilling them, those are the issues we need to address. However, having, again, the presidency having an overall supervisory role about a body that has been set up to assist farmers, according to Kenyans, it will be utterly unacceptable. We have had many blame games directed towards KTDA. The KTDA is a private entity. Private entities are established with one common goal, which is making profits. They will go into any length to make that profit. Therefore, I do not understand why all the arsenals are directed towards KTDA. The Government can as well be as competitive as KTDA by strengthening the issues around AFA. We are not going to blame a private entity that has done a lot of good to this country such as employing our youths and the common citizenry, which enable them to provide for their families. So, I do not understand how we are drawing a nexus between KTDA and AFA when it comes to these most important points. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Section 13(1) proposes that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) should be competitively recruited and appointed by the Board on such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine. We are all aware that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) was established to look into the general welfare of every Government employee. Therefore, circumventing SRC or straddling their work so that we give that Board the autonomy to determine, does not sit well with our Constitution. That is why I said this is a Bill that has to be relooked into so that we do not commit illegalities even as we come up with ways and means of addressing the farmers’ plight. My proposal, at this point in time is that we step back and fortify the AFA Act, particularly, paying attention to those areas where we have issues. Let us expand participatory role of the farmer in the Tea Directorate because tea has been adequately recognised within the AFA Act. A directorate should be created solely to handle tea matters. That is where we need to pay our attention and not creating additional bodies that have the potential to create discord within the management of the tea industry. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, in light of the highlights I have given, I am hesitant and hence decline to offer or lend my support to this Bill. Thank you."
}