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{
"id": 1347422,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1347422/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
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"content": "of region Aldai is tea growing. Mosop, where I neighbour and my constituency, Chesumei, grow tea. Emgwen has also established a new factory. In Sang'alo, private investors have come and have established the Mbogo Valley Tea Factory. In Tinderet, a number of tea factories have also been established. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in Nandi County, we grow tea almost everywhere. Therefore, where I come from, tea is life. It sustains livelihoods. I would like to thank the President, Dr. William Ruto, because under the fertiliser subsidy programme, at least all farmers, including maize, tea, sugarcane, coffee and any other farmers will get subsidised fertilizer at Kshs2500, not only Nandi County but across the region. I thank him, because the genius of subsidizing production over consumption will assist us in elevating the cost of living in the country. On the issue of protecting mismanagement, I agree with the tea growers. They are small scale farmers that need protection. Of course, there are big farmers, with a number of factories. However, there is always sadness underlying the issue of tea. You saw the exposé by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) where, sexual exploitation was rampant. It was hue and cry. I challenge Senators who are here, especially Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, like Sen. Crystal Asige and Sen. Mbugua, to please follow up on the exposé on sexual exploitation at tea farms. It was well elaborated and sad. No one has given us a way forward on whether the perpetrators of the sexual exploitation in tea farms have been arrested, to date, after that exposé. As we fight the issue of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) across the country, we must protect women and young girls and even young boys and men who have been taken advantage of. Multinational companies must take their internal mechanisms to also protect their labourers and workers. In Nandi and Bomet counties, there is a soft underbelly of historical land injustices. Unfortunately, most of the tea farms owned by multinationals have allegations of having forcefully taken most of their pieces of land from our forefathers. When you go to some areas like Kapchanga, Nandi Hills, Kapchorwa Ward, Chepkunyuk, Kapturia among other areas in Nandi County and Nandi Hills Constituency, people are living in dilapidated conditions on the hills because, the multinationals took the prime land and planted tea. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as we address the issue of historical land injustice in multinational companies, we must ensure we have a way of sustaining that land. I am not proposing that the land be taken away and be subdivided to build houses. That land can be reverted to the community. Let the community continue taking care of the tea, so that they can still continue to sustain themselves. The issue of historical land injustices in Nandi County must be addressed. It is the same case in Kericho County. I was there when we went to listen to a Petition in the last session. Bomet County also has similar challenges of historical land injustices. We must sit and agree."
}