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{
    "id": 1472441,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1472441/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 137,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kibwezi West, MMCP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mwengi Mutuse",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "constituents whom I represent. Principally, we support the fact that we need a legal regime to regulate the production, marketing and value addition of ndengu . This is to ensure that our farmers maximise on their farming. As we would appreciate, currently ndengu is neither classified as a food crop nor a cash crop. For that purpose and lack of a legal regime, there has never been a channel for taxpayers’ money to assist farmers to farm, produce, market and add value to ndengu . Therefore, that is why we support this Bill. I agree with the Members who have raised concerns on the possibility of levying farmers. I have discussed with farmers in my constituency and they are averse that should the law pass in its current form, they would be levied money. That way, growing ndengu would become a privilege of a few because it would attract levies. Rather than throwing away the bath water with the baby, I am of the opinion that we propose amendments at the Committee of the whole House so that we cure some of these oppressive provisions in the Bill. Secondly, where I come from, our people do not plant coffee, cotton and tea. Therefore, there is need to have poises like ndengu, peas, including fruits in future, as a cash crop for that region. For that reason, I support the proposed Bill, with amendments. We will also propose to change the Title of the Bill from Mung Beans Bill to Ndengu Bill. I am sure many people in this country including Members of Parliament, are hearing of mung beans for the first time. It is a strange word. There is no need to import words from other jurisdictions when in Kenya we know it as ndengu. We will propose an amendment that the Bill be referred to as Ndengu Bill so that if this House passes it, then it will be the Ndengu Act. Hon. Speaker, with that, I support. I will also propose amendments to cure some of the oppressive provisions that have been highlighted by our people through the media after reading the Bill. There is the issue of levies and the title. Thank you."
}