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{
    "id": 1472016,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1472016/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 138,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to react to two Statements. The first one is by Sen. (Prof.) Tom Odhiambo Ojienda, my good neighbour, on cess that is levied by county governments. In the second Senate, immediately after the promulgation of the new Constitution and this House came into being, we put up a spirited fight to stop county governments from levying cess on farmers, particularly tea farmers. In the Budget and Finance Committee, we forced Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) to refund monies to the farmers through their county governments. This is because we held the view that it is double taxation. We still hold the same view right now. The farmers of any crop, be it sugarcane, like what Sen. (Prof.) Tom Odiambo Ojienda is talking about or tea, cotton and coffee, pay their fair share of taxes. Therefore, they deserve to receive as much service as anybody. However, given the financial difficulties and space that we are in as a country, we have come to accept that charging cess and levies perhaps may be a way to better strengthen and give advantage to our farmers with regards to various things like repair of roads in the fields and such like things. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am, however, disturbed because county governments do not help their cause. We might be here as Senate and are interested in pushing the cause of devolution, but given how county governments continue to treat the farmers--- I know of counties where farmers have been levied cess on transportation and other things, but two or three financial years down the line, that money is accumulated in the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}