www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]
MPs Seek to Promote Pyrethrum
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 17 July 2007 23:13
Ford-People MP, Dr Hezron Manduku, said on Wednesday that several public rallies had been planned to mobilise farmers to step up production, and take advantage of the new market in the European Union and Asia.
"Pyrethrum sector stakeholders [industry players] in the country have successfully secured new markets for the crop in Europe and Asia and the prices have since gone up," he said.
He said MPs had resolved to work together in organising rallies and field days to push for the revival of the sector that has nearly collapsed due to poor or delayed payments.
Speaking at Nyamasibi and Ramasha in his constituency Dr Manduku said the Sh800 million Keroka-Nyangusu road project that had commenced will open up the two divisions of Masaba and Kiamokama, known for quality pyrethrum production in the country.
"The demand for the crop in the newly secured market is high, and there is need for farmers to step up production so as to reap maximum benefits from the new market," said Dr Manduku.
At the same time the MP and the Kisii Knut branch executive secretary, David Mokamba, called for a review of the proposed primary teacher recruitment policy recently announced by the Teachers Service Commission.
They said interviewing of graduates irrespective of their year of graduation was unfair and unrealistic.
"The Government should first of all employ all those teachers who qualified in 1994, before even moving to employ those of 1995 for the sake of consistence and fairness to the graduates," said Mr Mokamba. Added Dr Manduku: The Ministry of Education should work at clearing the 1994 backlog and move in stages instead of lumping all graduates together for the interviews.
The duo further proposed that those aged above 37 years should be given priority in the employment as to give them a chance to work before retirement.
