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{
    "id": 991352,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/991352/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 198,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Thika Town, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Wainaina Jungle",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13492,
        "legal_name": "Patrick Kimani Wainaina Jungle",
        "slug": "patrick-kimani-wainaina-jungle"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I will say this very quickly. I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of timely surveying of Del Monte land and subsequent renewal of their lease and, very importantly, surrender of unused land to the public for the public and community use. Here, 7,000 direct jobs and 28,000 indirect jobs are at stake, not to mention the Kshs10 billion in forex income. This company will surely wind up its operations in Kenya if something is not done today. According to the NLC recommendation and Gazette Notice No. 1995 dated 1st March 2019, survey of that land was recommended. More than a year from then, nothing has taken place. Can the Committee Chair summon the CS in person and explain why something has not been done a year down the line? Can we have a timeline for the same? This is so serious. It is actually on record and we have heard it. The Ministry is talking of 24,000 acres and the NLC is actually talking about 32,000 acres. That is a difference of about 8,000 acres. What is happening here? Kandara Residents’ Association went to court in 2018 claiming historical injustices. There is so much land that has actually not been used by Del Monte because it is not fit for planting the pineapples. Actually, Del Monte itself has no problem releasing that land provided proper survey has been done. Again, this is a failure on the part of the Ministry. It is not correct for NLC to state that Del Monte has not done an application on the lease renewal. In fact, here I am holding a file and, in this file, there is correspondence dated 1st October 2012. That is eight years ago. I also have correspondence from the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning on 4th February 2013 again in this file. The NLC responded on 2nd July 2013. There is another reminder by Del Monte on 8th August 2014. The County Government of Kiambu, indeed, sent a lease approval on 1st October 2018, but the question is: Why has that lease not been renewed to date? There have been several requests and reminders to the County Government of Murang’a on approval of the lease from Del Monte and copied to the NLC. So far, they have not said anything. They are keeping everyone in limbo. What is the NLC doing on this very loud silence from Murang’a County? I am very disappointed with the Ministry’s response. They barely said anything. The only thing I see is that they will start working after the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Surely, for 12 years, they have waited for COVID-19 excuse? In my view, there is no need The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}