Githinji Robert Gichimu

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, had I not been caught up by time, I would have proposed an amendment to delete the entire clause. We should leave businesses to thrive at their own pace and ability. The issue being raised that people can merge… People come into...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, on the further amendment, is it possible for the Chairman to give an exemption to start-ups, the banks that are starting up? We are saying that for you to start a bank in another four years, you will require Ksh6 billion to...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Chairman. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Yes, Member for Gichugu. What is your point of order? Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I am a Member of the Departmental Committee on Trade,...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I support this amendment because accreditation services are under KENAS. Some organisations get accreditation outside the country like South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) or Nigeria and other places. We need to domicile all the accreditation within this country. (Question,...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) I support this because it gives clarity. Any charges can only come through regulations. Initial amendments were quiet. It was not clear that any regulations would be required. In this case, we require that regulations must be done to give instances and how much to...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Speaker, I second. 3rd December 2024 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 2 (Laughter)

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I want to confirm that I had proposed an amendment to Clause 8, but my concerns were resolved. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Omboko Milemba) : Order, Hon. Gichimu. You are too early. Let us deal with the further amendment by...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I am contented with the recommittal by the Chairman. The concern I raised was that small-scale holders who will be part of the Board should be exempted from having three years’ experience in the coffee sector. I told the Chairman...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) This is a matter… 27th November 2024 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 31 Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA)The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Omboko Milemba): Order, Hon. Gichimu. Senior Counsel Otiende Amollo has a point of order.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I agree that we should strike a balance. A master’s degree in the relevant field from a university recognised in Kenya should be a minimum requirement. Other things like a PhD being an added advantage usually come in the advertisement...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I represent Gichugu where we have two factories: Thumaita and Kimunye tea factories. Connected to the question that was asked by Hon. Donya, I had also asked some questions which were responded to unsatisfactorily. I agree with the Member for Sotik...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) I support that amendment. I believe that now that the Chairman’s amendment had already been carried, then it means that Hon. Oundo is basically in agreement with it. The Temporary Chairlady (Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai) : Chairman.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairlady, there is no way licences can be given unconditionally. Some conditions have to be met for every licence. This is general licencing. So, deleting that is proper and I support it, so that there are, at least, some conditions to be met...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) This is a space where coffee farmers have been short-changed for a long time. Requiring adherence to international standards will also require cooperative societies to have qualified representatives for the purposes of testing, so that farmers can get value for their coffee. Previously, it was...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) This is not a penalty for failure or refusal to give information. It is for furnishing false information, which is a misdemeanour. Looking at the figure of Ksh50,000, it will not match with six months. At the end of it, the magistrate can decide to...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) I have one comment, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Since skills audit has not been defined in the amendment, Chairman needs to drop it to avoid the subjective way of approving it. The Temporary Chairlady (Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai) : Hon. Chairman.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I beg to move: THAT, Clause 2 of the Bill be amended by deleting the definition of “buyer” and substituting therefor the following new definition— buyer means a person or entity licensed by the Board to buy clean coffee at...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Speaker, I second. 26th November 2024 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 97

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Speaker, I also support the point that there is need for the Cabinet Secretary to bring all the evidence in terms of research, and for 20th November 2024 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 42 Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA)the Member who has asked the Question to...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) On a point of information, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Deputy, I would like to seek a clarification that is connected to the livestock and the coolers. We know coolers are supposed to store milk which has already been produced, and agriculture is supposed to support the production. Once the milk has been produced,...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. As I ask my Question, at least, the Cabinet Secretary has conceded that these are matters of co- operatives. He is a professional and he came in when that programme had already started. I think he has conceded that the...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. The Cabinet Secretary has conceded that the lifting of the ban on the importation of raw macadamia means the price for exportation of raw macadamia will shoot from as low as Ksh30 to Ksh80 and, eventually, to Ksh120. Why would...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) On a point of information, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. With tremendous respect; yes, we have those processing companies in Kenya. The Cabinet Secretary has, however, indicated that they are in the process of trying to organise farmers to form co-operatives and yet, none of the said factories are owned...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) I agree with the issue of value-addition, but why not allow farmers to sell their products the way they have been doing as you organise them to form co-operative societies and have their own factories so that they can reap the benefits of their sweat?...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me start by saying that this Bill is squarely and properly before this House. If I may read, Article 209 (5) of the Constitution states: “ (5) The taxation and other revenue-raising powers of a county shall not be...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) My point of order is on relevance. The matter that the Member has introduced is irrelevant to the matter of County Government Revenue Raising Measures that are being discussed. He should confine himself to the debate that is before the House. It is not the...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support the Chairman’s proposed amendment because where there is an offence, it has to be prescribed in the law. There is no need to legislate in vain. If there are offences that may not have been covered under the...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I support these amendments since they are giving clarity. Clause 3 (f) seeks to promote evidence as per the original Bill that promotes evidence-based coffee research. That is a bit ambiguous, but when the Committee proposes the promotion of coffee research and...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) While I support the other amendments under Clause 7, I am opposed to the amendment under subclause 7 (1) (2) , whereby it is indicating that it is seeking to substitute two persons of the opposite gender. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Order!...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) They have no union. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Hon. Wamuchomba, please.

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, the large-scale farmers are normally the estate farmers. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : For the benefit of those of us who are not well-versed in that sector, can you be a large-scale farmer without being an estate farmer? Hon. Gichimu...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, we are trying to get the best for the coffee farmers. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Yes. Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) In my understanding, because Gichugu Constituency grows a lot of coffee, co-operative societies are built out of the...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) I beg to move: THAT, Clause 8 of the Bill be amended in subclause (1) by inserting the following new paragraph immediately after paragraph (c) — “ (ca) the requirement of subsection (1) (b) shall not apply to member appointed under subsection 7 (e) and...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, let the Members get this right. I am not seeking to amend to remove the requirement of a Form IV certificate for a board member. There was an amendment by Hon. (Dr) Oundo which was seeking qualifications that were higher than Form...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) If you convince me… The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Yes. Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) If I am convinced… (Hon. Silvanus Osoro stood along the gangways) The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Order, Hon. Osoro. Take your seat. You can sit next...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Speaker, I would have no problem. That was my concern. As we go along, the Chair needs to move another amendment to define management in the coffee sector so that we can cover the farmer. Thank you. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim)...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I will abide if he re-commits to bring in the other amendment. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. Farah Maalim) : Chair, will you take a recommittal for this?

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you Hon. Temporary Chairman for giving me this opportunity. I concur with Hon. (Dr) Oundo and Hon. Wamuchomba. Although the Chairman's intention is well intended, he is restricting coffee to the local market. What if we have signed so many trade agreements? We signed...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) We also have the United Kingdom-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) , which is active. They may have standards that might not have already been set by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) , which develops and enforces its own standards. Sometimes, they develop standards with...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill by Hon. Irene Mayaka. This is a Bill of life as it is seeking to protect the wetlands where we normally get our water from. Although eucalyptus trees have some benefits, I think the...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The people of Gichugu, who I represent, find themselves in a situation akin to Hon. Basil’s. The Cabinet Secretary has already given an elaborate plan on how to revive the construction of the stalled roads. With regard to the roads that...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me say that I am one of the Members of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives who have worked very hard to bring this Bill to this level. Actually, it is one of the biggest or most...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA)Thank you. I support the proposal by the Committee to delete any provision delegating powers to make laws. That can only be through this Parliament, either through an Act of Parliament or a regulation. Giving the Cabinet Secretary open powers to give licenses on such critical...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Actually, this cures the intention in the amendment of Section 11. Any action by the three—the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, the Cabinet Secretary of National Treasury and Economic Planning, and the Council—will have to prescribe. Prescription in law means that there have...

Hon. Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute on this Bill. I also abide with the sentiments of Hon. Members in support of the amendments to the Kenya Roads Board Act, 2019. As you have clearly indicated, the Bill is very...