On Tuesday, September 24, the National Assembly rejected the Mung Bill (Ndengu), 2022, which the Senate had previously passed.
The August House announced, “The National Assembly, by a majority, has rejected the Mung Bill, 2022, at the second reading stage.”
Introduced in Parliament by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, the Ndengu Bill aimed to regulate the production, processing, and marketing of mung beans in Kenya. Wambua stated that the bill seeks to promote the growth of the mung bean industry both locally and internationally.
He emphasized that the bill does not impose a licensing requirement for growing mung beans; instead, it mandates registration for small and medium-sized farmers, similar to existing regulations for other crops. The Kitui Senator clarified that licensing provisions specifically apply to commercial activities, such as processing and large-scale trading.
Wambua also highlighted that requiring all mung bean growers to register with the respective County Executive Committee (CEC) member is a proactive measure aimed at achieving these goals, rather than a punitive action against farmers.
He explained, “The bill requires small and medium-sized mung bean farmers to register with the relevant CEC member. This practice is already established for other crops such as tea and coffee.”
According to the Senator, the primary purpose of this registration is for the government to maintain a record of mung bean growers, documenting the location, size, and variety of cultivated mung beans. This information will help assess the potential crop capacity within counties and throughout the country.
Additionally, Wambua noted that Clause 9 of the bill includes licensing requirements for individuals or entities intending to market, process, or engage in large-scale trading of mung beans and related products.
The bill will now proceed to mediation. If the mediation committee fails to reach an agreement within thirty days, the bill will be considered lost.
However, if the committee agrees on a version that both Houses approve, the bill will pass.
