Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1042298,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1042298/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 78,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Khaniri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 171,
        "legal_name": "George Munyasa Khaniri",
        "slug": "george-khaniri"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Bill will be an early Christmas for our tea farmers. I want to plead with you, my colleagues, let us give the tea farmers an early Christmas gift. For years, the cartels in the sector have thrived on the hard work of the farmers. The cartels have enriched themselves while the farmers who toil in the farm continue to languish in poverty. This Bill is going to be the game changer. We may not agree 100 per cent with the amendments made by the National Assembly, but I want to plead that we do not want to lose the gains we are going to get by passing this Bill. Yes, we do not agree with one or two amendments made by the National Assembly. Let us pass the amendments as they are. Let us get the assent of the President on the Bill, so that the farmers can start benefiting from the gains. If there are any other amendments and there are people who are uncomfortable with the amendments it can always be corrected. There can always be further amendments. However, we cannot afford to delay this any further. We have to pass it today. There was wisdom in you and the leadership of this House classifying this as an urgent matter, and therefore, calling for this special Sitting. Therefore, we cannot just wish that away. We have timelines and have to pass this Bill. When I was growing up, tea farming was profitable to the tea farmers. My father was a tea farmer. I inherited the tea farm and I am tea farmer by extension; I must declare my interest. I can tell you that it is not the same. When we were going round with Ad Hoc Committee, we met so many farmers in various areas in the country. Farmers have reached a stage where they are now uprooting their tea. Many people, me included have uprooted part of the tea I had grown because it was not profitable or viable. Mr. Speaker, Sir, by passing this Bill, we will revive the Tea Board of Kenya and the Tea Research Foundation. This will ensure efficiency and transparency in licensing of the tea brokers. By passing this Bill, we will ensure that buyers and brokers will pay farmers within 14 days of selling the tea as opposed to what it is right now when they pay at them on whims. By passing this Bill, we will be abolishing majority of the taxes levied on the tea farmer. At the moment, the tea farmer pays up to 42 taxes. How do you get profit when you pay 42 taxes? Listen to those of us who represent farmers. We plead with you to stand with us as we fight for our farmers, so that we ensure that we give our farmers an early Christmas gift. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I see that my time is up. I beg to support."
}