Tea Bill: Raila in last minute appeal to Senators

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has made a last minute passionate appeal to senators to pass the Tea Bill in a bid to save farmers from cartels hindering the growth of the sector.

In a statement issued today, the ODM leader said it is time for senators to rise up to the occasion and save farmers from exploitation.

“I wish to appeal to all Senators, from across the political divide, to come through for our farmers and our country by passing the Tea Bill,” Mr Odinga said.

“From Nyeri to Meru, Murang’a and Kiambu; from Kakamega to Vihiga, Nandi to Kericho and Kisii, tea farmers are suffering because of cartels that have taken over the industry to reap where they have not sowed,” he added.

The Tea Bill, sponsored by Kericho senator Aaron Cheruiyot, is coming up to Senate this afternoon for concurrence after the National Assembly passed it early this month.

“It has been the usual tale of conflict of interest, lack of transparency, impunity that includes disobeying court orders, corruption and wrong attitude that has killed many sectors before, getting entrenched in KTDA,” Mr Odinga said.

“Senators must help the country end those ugly dramatic scenes of tea farmers uprooting their crops or promising to do so because the crop no longer pays.” 

Mr Odinga pointed out that fixing the tea sector is a critical step to putting the country on the path of economic recovery. 

If the Bill is signed into law, tea brokers, buyers and auction organisers will have to ensure that proceeds from the sale of tea is paid within 14 days. Factories will also be required to pay 50 per cent of receipt of sales to farmers. 

This will mean that the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), which has been holding a huge chunk of the proceeds for a year, will no longer have access to tea billions since the money will now be controlled at the factory level. 

The balance of the money will be paid at the end of the financial year.

The law will also give the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary powers to prescribe regulations for the registration of management agents, such as KTDA, and the appeal process. 

The CS will also have powers to prescribe regulations for the tea auction. At the moment, the sole tea auction, East African Tea Trade Association, has taken CS Munya to court for prescribing regulations to govern the sector.

Farmers will now be able to monitor their tea through the value chain.