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{
    "id": 1565405,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565405/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 90,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13219,
        "legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
        "slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
    },
    "content": "When I speak that language, my people in Nyamira understand. It is used everywhere; I am sure even in Kilifi. The point I am making is this; imagine you deliver that two-kilogramme tin of coffee and all you are earning is Kshs239. When you go to London you will pay three dollars or about Kshs450 for that cup of coffee, which we took in Eldoret for which we paid Kshs350. We must do something so that we make the farmer to be the one who is benefiting more because they are the ones toiling. The person taking a cup of coffee, he is just enjoying it, but the farmer has toiled. He needs to earn money that will pay fees for his child, afford medical bills in hospital and dress nicely like the farmers I saw in Uasin Gishu, wearing very nice suits. That is what we want for our farmers. Also, let us not steal a lot of money from our farmers. This Bill is proposing the introduction of other levies. The moment you introduce a levy, who will meet the cost? It is the farmer. I went to school in Kabianga. The Kenya Coffee Research Foundation was situated opposite the school. So, you still want farmers to continue paying money for research up to today? We will do research for how long? For eternity and that cost is being transferred to the farmer. You are proposing another levy here which you are calling development levy. What is it for? Let us reduce this taxation on our farmers. Let us be fair, Senators. This is more taxation on our farmers. Let us not allow passage of laws that add more pain to the farmer. If they are lucky to get the good earnings they are getting this year, let that money be for the benefit of the farmer. We will pay the taxes. We are paying enough taxes to the Government, but let us spare the farmer. Already they are facing enough pain. I really hope that the Senators who will sit in this mediation committee will ensure that they do not allow these proposals from the National Assembly that want to tax the farmers' earnings more. Already the taxation they are facing is enough. They are the ones who pay the directors, they are buying coffee, they are paying the person tilling the shamba, the one plucking and society expenses. That is enough. Let the extra income go to the pockets of the farmer. I hope the Government will continue supporting our farmers. We were in this Senate last time. The Coffee Cherry Fund (CCF) never benefited us in Western Kenya. It never benefited us. Kericho benefited---"
}