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{
    "id": 664232,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/664232/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 21,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity. I rise to second this Bill by my good friend, Hon. Athanas Wafula Wamunyinyi. This is a very brief amendment Bill. It aims to remove VAT on the transportation of sugarcane from farms to milling factories. The VAT Act, 2013, provides for levying of VAT on sugarcane transportation and transporters are required to collect and remit the tax to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). Without a doubt, this has led to an increase in the cost of production of sugar in our country and that cost ends up on the table of the consumer. VAT, as the name suggests, is a tax imposed to recognise some form of value addition. Those of us who know the process of transporting sugar from farms to factories will tell you that absolutely no value is added. In fact, to the contrary, the way it is, a lot of sugarcane is weighed at the factory. So, what it means is that the sugarcane that leaves the farm is normally less when it is weighed at the factory. Instead of imposing tax on the transportation of sugarcane, what the Government ought to do is to find a way to compensate our sugarcane farmers. Many times we have said in this House that sugarcane farmers toil. In fact, it is one of the labour intensive productions I have ever known, but sugarcane farmers are some of the poorest people in this country. I want to commend my good friend, Hon. Jomo Washiali, who has been at the forefront in all the years I have known him because I have sat with him in this Parliament, fighting for the sugarcane farmers of western Kenya. I thank the people of Mumias for giving him a second chance. I do not know any other person who has taken a legislative agenda on a matter that directly affects the people and stuck with it all his life. He has even risked his personal life and has been injured while fighting for sugarcane farmers. My constituency does not grow as much sugar, but we grow cassava and cotton. I have not been as valiant in fighting for their rights the way Hon. Washiali has. It is for a good reason. Ultimately, when the livelihoods of Kenyans 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."
}