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{
"id": 1565392,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565392/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
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"content": "practice where they would wait sometimes for two months. Many other accruing benefits, including the ability of farmers to vote in directors of their factories on the principle of one man, one vote. That should not be confused by another mantra that is common in our political parlance. Farmers really appreciated and celebrated. At that particular time, tea farmers were happy. Of course the story is different right now, and there are serious challenges that need to be addressed. In this particular day and time, coffee farmers are extremely happy. When I go to parts of my county that have farmers growing coffee, they appreciate the coming into place of this administration. They used to receive Kshs30 and sometimes even Kshs20. Today, one of my largest coffee societies known as Kipkelion Coffee Growers Association is giving prices of up to Kshs140 or Kshs150. Something that is unprecedented. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we must guard our farmers to ensure that every amendment that we move in this particular House serves to protect their interests more. They should be earning more than that. However, because of middlemen and how the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) was being handled, there were serious challenges. I must appreciate the efforts that have been made to get them to that level. The bigger challenge for us is how to ensure that farmers continue to gain and appreciate the value of coffee. For the very first time, there is a reverse trend in my own county. Previously when I went to the coffee growing areas, they would challenge me and tell me that the same way we worked hard for tea farmers, they also want to see benefits. That was the song for last term. This term, the noise is now on the tea side. They are asking why we focused too much on the coffee side and now the tea crop has all those problems. You also know the benefits in the sugarcane sector. Ordinarily, as representatives of farmers, we need to take such Bills with the seriousness that they deserve. If there is a responsibility that you can have particular as a Senator, because agriculture is a devolved function, the policies and legislative proposals that we pass in this particular House must reflect the spirit of our Constitution. We should ensure that we protect the interests of our farmers by passing legislation that captures the understanding that there are two levels of government; the national and county governments. Therefore, as the representatives of the people, we must ensure that in all the conversations, a farmer does not get any loss in all the jargon that comes up in the legislative-making procedure. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I thank Members of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries for their industry. I know we have gone to public fora many times and people have spoken on the need to conclude on this particular exercise. Sometimes it makes sense to hold on, even just for a few more days, but get the right piece of legislation. It is not easy to legislate on such a political crop like coffee. Therefore, for the legislative journey that this particular Bill has travelled, beginning in this House to the National Assembly and now back and about to go through a mediation exercise, I believe it is worth it. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have to expedite because we have to lock in the gains at this particular time when farmers are happy and there are many Kenyans who continue to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}