HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, POST, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"count": 1608389,
"next": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=138286",
"previous": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=138284",
"results": [
{
"id": 1399261,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399261/?format=api",
"text_counter": 251,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Sen. (Dr.) Murango crossed the aisle without bowing to the Chair)"
},
{
"id": 1399262,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399262/?format=api",
"text_counter": 252,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hold your thoughts, Sen. Wafula. Senator for Kirinyaga County, you have been in this House enough to know the procedure of crossing over from one side of the aisle to the other. Go back and comply then we proceed."
},
{
"id": 1399263,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399263/?format=api",
"text_counter": 253,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Sen. (Dr.) Murango moved to the Bar and bowed to the Chair)"
},
{
"id": 1399264,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399264/?format=api",
"text_counter": 254,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Proceed, Sen. Wafula."
},
{
"id": 1399265,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399265/?format=api",
"text_counter": 255,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wafula",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 348,
"legal_name": "Davis Wafula Nakitare",
"slug": "davis-nakitare"
},
"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, on zoning and the catchment areas, millers have been put together in a zone that provides a catchment area for them. This ensures that companies have an opportunity to operate and compete in terms of pricing. This gives the farmer an opportunity to benefit from that catchment area. That catchment area turning into a zone gives the farmers an opportunity to equally get representation in the sugar board. Therefore, we are dealing with a scenario where the boundaries will give the companies an opportunity to harvest cane from those areas and give farmers from those areas a chance of representation. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this sugar board will give guidance to sugar inspectors to ensure that the millers do the right thing in terms of human resource, hygiene and environmental concerns. They will ensure the quality of sugarcane given to farmers is monitored both by the county government and the millers. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, therefore, I do not want to go into much detail, but I assure Kenyans that today, we have begun a new chapter. We are bringing to them a Bill that will sort out the mess in the sugar industry and bring sanity to it. I thank you. I, therefore, call the Senate Majority Leader, my good friend, Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot to second."
},
{
"id": 1399266,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399266/?format=api",
"text_counter": 256,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Aaron, proceed to second the Bill."
},
{
"id": 1399267,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399267/?format=api",
"text_counter": 257,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": " I thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise to second the Sugar Bill (National Assembly Bills No. 34 of 2022). This is an extremely important Bill, touching on an industry that has been long neglected over the years. It has the opportunity to give livelihoods to millions of Kenyans and save our country billions of shillings that we spend importing sugar from other countries that have organized their sector better than us, making their farmers earn while ours continue to wallow in poverty. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1399268,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399268/?format=api",
"text_counter": 258,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": "First, I congratulate my colleague, Sen. Wakoli, a new Member in this House but has quickly studied and established himself into the ways and practices of legislative culture. Today, he has moved a Bill of an important industry in this Republic. He has done so with zeal and dedication. Over the last few weeks, I have consulted with him and listened to the stakeholders of this industry when they came to present before Sen. (Dr.) Murango’s Committee. I made sure to find time and go listen. I always try to create time, although I am not a Member of any Committee as the Senate Majority Leader, to listen especially to presentations before the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, touching on issues to do with the livelihood of our farmers. I would not wish to one day pass a Bill in this House that would end up affecting negatively, the livelihood of the people I represent. I represent sugarcane farmers. Kericho is more known for tea, but three constituencies in the southern part of the county to be specific, have sugarcane plantations. They are so lush, green, well-manicured and equally useful to the economy of the County of Kericho just like tea. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, a few days ago, I had visited a friend in Trans-Nzoia and later on, I was to visit another friend who lives closer to Lake Kanyaboli in Siaya County. As I traversed from Trans-Nzoia to Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga and eventually to Siaya and back to Kericho, I could not help notice the quality of cane that my farmers in Kericho continue to cultivate. I was extremely proud of them because even the pilot we were with on that journey, commented on the dedication of our farmers and the kind of work they continue to do. Many Senators in this House do not perhaps appreciate and know how much potential sugarcane farming has in their specific counties and how much it can alleviate millions of their constituents out of poverty if we manage this sector better. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is unfortunate that we allowed this sector to collapse due to greed and the many people who wanted to make a quick kill and money out of this industry. The quickest way to make money out of the sugar sector is to open importation where people purchase from either Uganda and other Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) or non-COMESA countries. This is because, statistically, every four or five years, there is a sugar deficit in the COMESA zones. On such occasions, you will find that countries in the COMESA region open up for importation of sugar from non-COMESA regions. The closest season was in 2022, towards the end and the entire 2023. This was a phenomenon that was observed in almost all East African countries; from Tanzania, Uganda to the rest of the COMESA region, where there was a shortage. Therefore, unscrupulous business people have, over the years, taken advantage instead of only importing during that particular season, because of the money they make in that particular season, they want to extend that culture over and above even beyond periods, which our own farmers can produce. If we do not put the checks and balances--- I am particularly impressed that in this Bill, we are proposing the creation and setting up of the sugar board. This is a return to back in the days where the sugarcane was thriving in the villages. Where you had a board that would guide the operations and would even give approval complete with statistics of what is expected deficit of sugar in the country. They would only open up importation only to shore up the numbers, ensure The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1399269,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399269/?format=api",
"text_counter": 259,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": "there is enough supply in the country but at the same time caution our farmers and ensure that you do not open the market for cheap imports from other parts of the world to the detriment of our poor farmers. I am impressed that in this Bill, we shall be returning to the good old days of the sugar directorate just like we did with the Tea Bill. Where you have a board that is dedicated and specific people with organic knowledge on a particular area and field, where if things go wrong, you can take on that particular board chair or members. I like the fact that even in this Bill; we are proposing the election of representatives to this board so that the people of Narok where Sen. Olekina comes from, a key sugarcane-growing county with immense potential, will have an opportunity to elect a representative to this Board. This applies as well to the rest of our colleagues; so that if we find ourselves in a situation such as we are today; where cheap imports are competing with sugarcane produced in our various factories, we will take on our board members and ask; who granted this approval? What were the statistics that guided you in making this particular decision? Therefore, I am particularly impressed with the direction we are taking. Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale is not here but Whip Sen. Ledama and Sen. Sifuna are here, I request that, if possible, once Members have debated this Bill, either today or tomorrow, before we proceed on recess, if we can do Committee of the Whole on Thursday, it will be an important exercise. Sen. Sifuna, you know this for a fact and I see many times that when you go to functions, for example, in the western belt of the country and even in my own country of Kericho - in the sugarcane growing areas, farmers are getting jittery with us, as Senators, and continue to ask: “What happened? This Bill came to you more than a year ago. You are taking too long with it.” I hope that we will conclude on the Bill, so that it proceeds to the National Assembly, they either agree or disagree with our amendments; we do the mediation and give sugarcane farmers a new lease of life. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it continues to break my heart that each time you travel to the former giant town or ‘city’ of Mumias, the epitome of the failed industry that used to be the sugar industry. A town was thriving back in the 1990s and early 2000 when Mumias Sugar Company was roaring in profitability. They did many things including, running of schools and social programmes like football clubs. Some of the best footballers that we produced came from the teams that were being supported by the various sugar industries. Today, you cannot speak of the same. Not to forget the millions of livelihoods that were affected by the collapse of our industry. I am impressed with the proposal that is made in this Bill. First, to convert and remove sugar as directorate from Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and set up this sugar directorate. The introduction of sugar levy that will particularly be used to first do cane development, an extremely important exercise that provides stability to our farmers. Many times, you travel to countries like Mauritius, you will see they have a farmers’ bank. Apart from having a farmers’ bank, the last time I was in that important country that grows its cane, they had a sugar bank. There is nothing else they can do other than provide capital support to their farmers so that they can develop their farms in good time. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1399270,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399270/?format=api",
"text_counter": 260,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": "During break season, since sugar takes long before it matures in the farm, if a farmer is not provided with proper capital support, they are either bound to abandon that trade or even sometimes sell their cane before it is properly mature. They may also abandon the trade altogether and prefer to do other farming such as such dairy and tea where one is paid frequently. I have seen the proposal and other documentation of what this administration intends to do with the sugar sector, including privatization that is not particularly mentioned in this document. I however know that it is important and interrelated. Zoning has been mentioned prominently. I know that there are people that have concerns about zoning. When we went to the Committee, we were particularly interested in telling the Committee that much as zoning is important so that farmers can also learn the culture of sticking. When the millers came to us and made their presentations before their Committee, they said unfortunately, Kenyans have not learnt the art of being decent and disciplined. Many times, you find farmers who come to you as a factory, they take farm inputs, but unfortunately, during the time of delivery of cane, they deliver it elsewhere. Therefore, there was a need to engage in this business of zoning so that you are able to have farmers that have a working relationship that is solid and established between the farming community and the millers. On the other side to counterbalance zoning, it is important to also provide an avenue for competition, so that farmers do not feel that they have been clogged up and are being forced to mill with a particular miller only where there is no competition, with regards to two things. Number one is the price of cane. I like that with the return of the pricing committee, they will be able to determine. There is a scientific formula that is set out on determining what the price is. That will be the work of the Board. The sugarcane farmers are supposed to be paid per tonne for delivery of cane to a particular factory and to all factories depending on the region where they are. It is important because we do not have many operational mills. Many of our Government mills you know are no longer operational or they do not pay farmers in time. It is unfortunate that each time these industries try to take strides in the direction such as with privatization, there are people who go to court and stop the exercise in its entirety. Part of the reason some of our regions farmers gave up on this exercise of planting cane was because they were delivering to Government mills, which could not afford to pay them. We do not have enough private millers to take care of this. That is why I support the decision on privatization. So long as we continue to guard these mills and ensure that the nucleus and the farm remain under the ownership of our county governments, privatization is a step in the right direction. I was making my point on zoning and why it is important so that particular farmers deal with the facts in their region. Opening it and making it free of charge where there is cane hawking and all these other practices, are items that were properly dealt with for those of us that were in Kisumu in 2022 when the former Governor of Kakamega Wycliffe Oparanya presented their report of the sub-sector taskforce. They delved on the importance of zoning. I agree with the proposals that they have made. The only addition that I make is that we must open up to counties. For The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}
]
}