Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 978915,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/978915/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 121,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Bomet Central, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ronald Tonui",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1242,
        "legal_name": "Ronald Kiprotich Tonui",
        "slug": "ronald-kiprotich-tonui"
    },
    "content": "powers given to the CS to make regulations. I believe that is going to be unfair and should be very clear. Nothing should be hidden. The other issue is cartels in the tea auctioning in Mombasa. This Bill does not propose a way of sorting out this problem. I would have expected the Tea Board of Kenya to be given powers to monitor the tea auction in Mombasa or wherever they are to ensure that the interests of the small-scale tea farmers are protected. That one is also completely ignored in this Bill. One of my expectations was to see the measures which were raised by His Excellency the President about the tea sector undertaken. He raised many issues which I expected to be captured in this Bill so that we can smoothen and ease the businesses we do in the tea sector. The idea that KTDA is concentrating on many businesses needs also to be captured in one way or the other so that it concentrates only on its core business of processing, self-reinsurance of the factories and marketing of tea. Anything else should be left to other people or provisions and the KTDA should not concentrate on that. Since the issues of tea are emotive and it is a devolved function touching on the people who elect us nationally in the counties, I expected at least some powers to be given to the Senate and county assemblies to be able to summon the board members of these tea factories to appear before them and answer specific questions which are raised by the farmers. The issue of tea buying centres should also be a county function which should be taken care of by the counties to ensure that the issues of hygiene are addressed so that our tea can be marketable and accepted internationally. It is a way of subsidising tea growing. The other issue is the protection of tea farmers from multinationals through auctions. I understand the multinationals control the auctions. Although they can under-price their tea in the auctions, they are the same ones who are going to sell it outside there. The under billing can only be managed through the Tea Board of Kenya if such powers are given to them through the law. However, if it is not given such powers, certainly, they will not get them from the moon. Such should be provided. The Head of State mentioned about the issue of value addition to our tea. This one is also not captured so that we can adjust the prices of our tea the Sri Lanka way. Sri Lanka produces the poorest quality of tea but gets at least twice the price of its tea as compared to the Kenyan tea. I believe that also needs to be taken care of. Regulations on the funds invested as they wait to be paid…"
}