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{
    "id": 979936,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/979936/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 182,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Gichugu, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gichimu Githinji",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13341,
        "legal_name": "Robert Gichimu Githinji",
        "slug": "robert-gichimu-githinji"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to further make my contribution in support of the Tea Bill. Hon. Speaker, the board that is yet to be established by the Tea Bill should look into the following things that will improve the tea subsector: First, the board should delink production, processing and marketing, so that marketing remains a different entity in the value chain. We have a lot of conflict of interest. Directors who normally oversee the processing are the same people who do marketing. So, when there is a problem, you find that they cannot vindicate themselves. The other thing that the board needs to look at is to negotiate the power tariffs for the tea factories. Tea factories are industries. We have seen power tariffs being dropped or reduced for other industries. This is a public company and not a private company. Farmers also need to enjoy this power remits and power tariffs reduction. The board should not entertain what we call “tea hawking” because this will lead to exploitation of the farmers and theft of tea leaves. Another thing that should be looked at is subsidised fertilisers just like it is happening in coffee and maize subsectors. We also need to look into the taxes and levies that affect the tea industry. Taxes and levies that affect the tea industry are 42 in number. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is leading with eight taxes and the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) with about five levies. Hon. Speaker, the company secretary of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) should also not be the company secretary for the 54 factories that form KTDA. This will avoid conflict of interest. That way, company secretaries for the respective companies can guide the factories themselves. As I end, I suggest that the directors of the KTDA should also not be directors of the subsidiaries of the KTDA. There is a lot of conflict of interest because they mostly trade with the same company that they represent. I rest my contribution there and I beg to support."
}