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{
    "id": 993763,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/993763/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 69,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13199,
        "legal_name": "Enoch Kiio Wambua",
        "slug": "enoch-kiio-wambua"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity. This is a very important Statement. It is important because the issue of food security, if not properly handled, can easily degenerate into civil strife. I am reminded that when the Jubilee administration came into the office in 2013, one of the major promises they made to Kenyans was that they were to irrigate one million hectares of land at Galana-Kulalu Irrigation Development Project. It was launched with pomp. The expectation was that 500,000 hectares of land was going to be put under maize and 200,000 hectares of land was going to be put under sugarcane. About 150,000 hectares would be distributed to livestock, fish farming and the like. However, it is disheartening today to note that, that project has collapsed. One of the most important things that governments across the world do is to ensure they are able to feed their citizens. A government that is unable to feed its citizens loses the legitimacy to even govern. Taking up from where my colleagues have left, on what really needs to be done, I am very sure that the Committee to which this Statement will be directed to look into the issues of irrigation schemes for food crops. In most cases, the irrigation schemes in this country are for cash crops. It is important to do mass irrigation schemes for food crops. There is a lot of arable land in this country that is lying idle. However, if the Government was to put money in irrigating those pieces of lands, we would have sufficient food to feed our country and export the surplus. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is very painful to note that we are importing basic foods. For instance, we are importing oranges from South Africa and eggs from Uganda yet there is sufficient capacity in this country to produce enough fruits and food crops to feed our people. I thank my colleague, my friend Sen. Khaniri for bringing this Statement. I support it. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}