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{
    "id": 392078,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/392078/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 91,
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    "content": "coming here to buy our coffee. That also applies to tea. Our tea is marketed outside the country as English tea. If you want to be served the best cup of tea in any hotel or restaurant in Europe, you will be asked whether you want herbal tea or English tea. That tea comes from our country. Our marketing skills are not good. It is time that the Government got involved squarely and stopped people who are out actually to exploit Kenyans. Madam Temporary Speaker, countries which do not grow coffee have benefited more than the producers themselves. I am talking about Kenya as a country. We have gone into the devolved system of Government and 30 per cent of the county that I represent grows coffee. I am very much convinced that equally, the neighbouring counties of Kiambu, Murang’a, Kirinyaga and Nyeri also grow coffee. If the interests of the farmers in these counties were taken care of and considered seriously, I am sure that this sector could generate enough money that would benefit our people. So, the Government should not wait until Kenyans are made total beggars, when they have their God-given natural resources. Coffee farmers should be given the same treatment as the maize farmers. The Government should set money aside and buy coffee when the market is not good. We have witnessed the Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (KPCU) which was the only Government institution that used to market coffee--- My father had not more than 300 trees of coffee when it was referred to as the black gold of Africa. He had a number of children and enough to take care of them. They lived well on just 300 trees of coffee. Madam Temporary Speaker, if money could be set aside within the Government budget to buy coffee, subsidize fertilizer and sell the coffee when the market is good, we would achieve much. The same should be done for tea farming. These are well known facts and there is no doubt about what we are trying to safeguard. Madam Temporary Speaker, the natural resources of this country are not only what you can mine, but also what God has given us to grow in this country, which cannot be grown in another place. This is because not many countries can grow coffee. In East Africa, you will only find it in Tanzania and Uganda. But here we tend to ignore that and dwell on other issues which, actually, do not benefit this country. Madam Temporary Speaker, therefore, we will not develop our counties if we do not take care of and protect what can be grown or achieved there. Since the Constitution allows me to defend and protect the natural resources and wealth of my county, the Government should set aside funds to purchase coffee. Madam Temporary Speaker, I beg to move and ask Sen. Wamatangi to second the Motion."
}