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ea Agency Building Six Factories
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 03 July 2007 05:13
The Kenya Tea Development Agency, he said, planned to build three more factories next year, two in Kisii Central and one in Buret.Said Mr Muiruri: "I am aware that farmers contribution in the building of a new factory has been revised from 30 to 50 per cent of the total construction cost."
Mr Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache, Ford People) moved a motion urging the Government to invest directly in the rehabilitation, expansion/construction of tea factories to adequately process tea produced by small-scale farmers.He accused the Government of ignoring the tea industry even though it was one of the leading foreign exchange earners.Mr Angwenyi urged members to back his motion which seeks to have the KTDA Act amended to cater more effectively for small scale farmers across the country.
Unfair to farmers
He asked why the tea sector had not been given as much support by the Treasury as the dairy, livestock, cane and coffee sectors.He also took issue with the Government and KTDA for increasing farmers' contribution in the building of factories, saying it was unfair to small-scale farmers.
"About 12 million people depend on the tea industry for a livelihood, the Government collects Sh50 million in taxes from the sector but it has failed to support it fully," Mr Angwenyi said.
Roads assistant minister Joshua Toro told Mr Gideon Ndambuki (Kaiti, Kanu) that the Roads 2000 programme would cover 44 districts.But Mr Simeon Lesirma (Samburu West, Kanu) protested, saying Samburu District had been ignored yet roads in the area were in a pathetic state.
Mr Toro tabled a list showing the date of commencement and time allocated for the roads.
