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{
    "id": 1425169,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1425169/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 106,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as we prepare to celebrate International Tea Day tomorrow in Nandi County, we take pride as tea growing zones because tea is one of the major foreign earners for this country. Where I come from, I grow tea in four out of five sub-counties. If I may say, 90 per cent of all cash crops is tea. Therefore, I support the statement by Sen. Cherarkey who will be the host of the conference tomorrow. I believe this will go a long way in enhancing the reforms, which have been running for a couple of years. This began with the first attempt by the Majority Leader of this House when he brought the Tea (Amendment) Bill of 2020. Unfortunately, people went to court to challenge various clauses of that Bill. Fortunately, following the efforts which were picked up by the current administration, agriculture was identified as one of the five major items in its delivery to the people of Kenya and tea has been given a lot of attention. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as you are aware, I am also spearheading additional amendments to the 2020 Act. As I speak, all the parties that had filed various cases in court have agreed to a compromise. We have withdrawn all those cases and reached a position where many of the issues which had been raised towards reforms in the tea sector have been resolved. I believe the outcome of the conference tomorrow will highlight specific aspects to ensure that the tea sector in Kenya is improved to make sure that we enhance not only foreign earnings from tea, but also direct benefit to the farmers. I encourage Members from tea growing zones to participate in the conference and contribute toward ensuring that our farmers not only get support from the Government, but also have that personal commitment to ensure the sector is improved and supported. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank you. Once again, I encourage Sen. Cherarkey to make sure that he fully engages the farmers, so that it is not a white-collar engagement, but a farmer-based kind of engagement on the ground."
}