Drop tea Bill, Senator tells ward leaders
What you need to know:
- Mr Gitura, who is also the Deputy Senate Speaker, said the proposed Murang’a County Tea Bill, which is at the second reading, addressed issues already covered by other laws.
- He said if the county government wanted to help tea farmers to benefit from the cash crop, it should do so by providing incentives to boost their production.
- The senator said he had written to the County Assembly Clerk to withdraw the Bill, but lauded governors from tea growing counties for their efforts to rescue the sector from its declining fortunes.
The tea Bill being discussed in the county assembly is in conflict with national agriculture laws and should be withdrawn, Senator Kembi Gitura has said.
Mr Gitura, who is also the Deputy Senate Speaker, said the proposed Murang’a County Tea Bill, which is at the second reading, addressed issues already covered by other laws.
Although the agricultural sector was devolved, the formulation of its policies remained the National Government’s function, he said at a news conference in Murang’a Town.
“Crops like tea, coffee, pyrethrum and flowers, among others, are of great importance to the nation, thus the policies remain with the central government.
“After reading the Murang’a Tea Bill against the crops, agriculture, fisheries and food laws, I am convinced beyond doubt that the policy the assembly wants to introduce is actually addressed by the national legislation,” he said.
He said if the county government wanted to help tea farmers to benefit from the cash crop, it should do so by providing incentives to boost their production.
He said the marketing, research and crop management proposed in the Bill were the work of other government bodies.
The senator said he had written to the County Assembly Clerk to withdraw the Bill, but lauded governors from tea growing counties for their efforts to rescue the sector from its declining fortunes.
