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{
    "id": 1493775,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1493775/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 212,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Gichugu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gichimu Githinji",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me start by thanking the Vice-Chairman and the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock for coming up with that response. Tea matters in my constituency are very important for almost half of the population who entirely rely on the crop. I sought this statement so that I am able to relay to the farmers that I represent, who sell their tea at Kimunye and Thumaita tea factories. Since the facts have already been given and since there is also a pending comprehensive audit report from the Tea Board of Kenya, and those farmers will also be holding an Annual General Meeting before the end of this year, I think this information will be very important for them to ask all the relevant questions in respect of the tea bonus payment. I am happy that all the farmers from Kimunye and Thumaita tea factories have resumed tea plucking so that they do not lose. I advised them to continue plucking tea as I follow up on this Statement. I will relay to them, but there are pertinent issues that will be raised from this response. Amongst the machines that have been listed to be bought by one of the factories called Thumaita Tea Factory, there is an amount of Ksh22.5 million that has been set aside for various machines. I think those are some of the clarifications my farmers will be seeking from the directors of those factories. Finally, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I think it is important for the directors, when they are seeking for their votes, to be very cautious and very sensitive on finance matters and especially on tea bonus payment. They should not use figures as a bait for them to be elected, and which might also not be achieved as it happened on this matter. This is because most of the issues that were raised were based on what had been promised. And if they have not verified on the issues of the sales, the issues, the dollar and all those manners of things, I think I would advise them to be very cautious, including the Chairman of the Kenya Tea Board of Kenya. It has already been admitted in the response that he used the promise that tea factories would be paying not less than Ksh60 in Kirinyaga so that he could be elected. The Chairman of KTDA, Mr. Enos Njeru, please do not mislead farmers. Give factual information on figures. Where you do not know, leave it. The market will determine the figures that the farmers will be paid. Do not mislead the farmers. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}