Senator Ndwiga tells Munya to back off coffee bill

Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga has told off Agriculture CS Peter Munya, saying the minister should leave the coffee amendment bill to legislators.

Ndwiga spoke after a church service at Holy Litany Church in Embu town on Sunday.

The senator was responding to comments by the CS who told him to withdraw his coffee bill citing it as an obstacle towards coffee reforms in the country.

The CS spoke in Kairuri, Embu, during the launch of an awareness forum for coffee inputs subsidy programme on Friday.

Munya said the Members of Parliament have delayed the bill.

He said to add salt to injury, Senator Ndwiga handed over his bill to the Senate causing confusion which has since paralysed further changes in the sector.

The CS said he followed due process of public participation and submitted the bill to parliament which has since been delayed for discussion.

“There are two versions of the bill in Parliament and Senate. The one we discussed with you (farmers) and the one the senator did without involving you," Munya said.

Munya said Ndwiga didn’t involve the farmers, something he says nullifies his bill.

On the other hand Ndwiga says Munya should focus on the coffee cooperatives that will ensure coffee is of benefit to farmers.

He said that Munya should instead tell the farmers the plans the government has for coffee farmers.

The senator said the position he’s assuming (Munya) should be occupied by an elected member not an appointed official.

He said that Munya should keep off registration and involving himself with the coffee bill, adding that both duties should be preserved for parliament.

“Munya should keep off the coffee bill and if he wants that role he should campaign for the position,” Ndwiga said.

He said he accompanied CS Munya during the public participation exercise to Embu coffee farmers and what he did was not public participation.

He said CS Munya only gave his preferred suggestions that he further used to come up with his own bill.

“If he wants to know how and where I conducted public participation he should go ahead and ask.

"Munya didn’t involve people on public participation but instead gave his suggestions. We have the right to a public participation process, I request him to keep off the bill,” Ndwiga said.

In 2020, the Council of Governors Agriculture committee and that of Senate accused CS Munya of making reforms without involvement of the county governments.

They agreed to have the government assist farmers to undertake direct marketing of their coffee.

The committee also settled for county governments to allocate at least 10 per cent of their annual budget to help implement agricultural functions.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)