James Kembi Gitura

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 7751 to 7760 of 7781.

• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have given the assurance that no existing employee of any of these tea companies will be laid off as a result of the introduction of these tea plucking machines. view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me start by saying that the test runs on these tea plucking machines have been going on for the last 20 years. This is not something that has just happened. view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the last 20 years, these test runs have been going on at almost all the farms in Kericho District with the knowledge of the Government and the workforce. M/s James Finlay has invested tremendously in this area. However, it must be realised that the percentage of the work the tea plucking machines will be doing is only 2 per cent. In other words, 98 per cent of tea business will still be on manual labour. Only 2 per cent will be on these machines. That is for specialised areas of instant and green tea for ... view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Sir, when computers were first introduced in this country, for the first time, the sceptics said that there would be no more employment of manual labourers. However, everybody now knows that the introduction of computers has brought about more employment opportunities. The assurance I am giving is this: James Finlay has, for instance, invested US$20 million in a new factory for processing green and instant tea. As a result, the company has employed more than 500 people in its factory, to enable them carry out the specialised work. I can assure, hon. O.K. Mwangi, who I know has ... view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think it is not possible for me to answer that supplementary question because it is not related to the main Question. view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the only thing I can say is that the issue has to do with the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development, as the hon. Member has indicated. However, I appreciate that we are in the same Government, no matter what Ministry we head. My understanding of the issue is that James Finlay has agreed with the trade union that they have a moratorium period within which they can discuss some modalities and find the way forward. However, if we politicise and interfere with private business which helps create development in this country, then we risk ... view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) The Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with the Kenya Sugar Board is exploring the possibility of a private investor establishing a sugar factory in Nyangweta in South Mugirango. (b) The Sugar Act (general regulations), which we are in the process of regulating shall provide a blue print for an industry insurance scheme that will address the compensation to farmers for loss of cane. Once adopted, farmers will then be able to claim compensation under the scheme. view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am sure that the hon. Member who has asked this Question has also read the Sugar Act, 2001 and that he understands that the Government will not initiate new sugar factories or mills. The stakeholders will have to make an application through the Sugar Board for a licence to operate a sugar mill. The hon. Member knows very well that no such application has been made but that the Government, on its own volition, has been trying to seek private investors to invest in that area. At this juncture, let me mention that Trans Mara ... view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Nyangweta, the subject area of this Question is 15 kilometres away from SONY Sugar Company. We do appreciate that there is a lot of cane production at the moment. The Government, through the Sugar Board is doing everything possible to increase capacity. At the moment, SONY Sugar is crashing 3,000 metric tonnes of cane per day. We are moving towards increasing the capacity to 6,500 metric tonnes per day so that we are able to cope with the increased cane production in the area. Through the Sugar Board, we are also trying to increase the transport ... view
• 8 Jun 2006 in National Assembly: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the sarcasm about knowledge and expertise notwithstanding, I do not claim to have any knowledge more than my friend has about the sugar- cane growing belt. However, this process must start somewhere. The people of Nyangweta will have to make an application for a sugar mill. Short of that, they will have to accept that the Government through the Kenya Sugar Board is doing a lot to try and procure an investor for them. Anybody will accept that more cane is being crashed than has been the case hitherto; that the cane industry is resuscitating and, ... view