The Tea (Amendment) Bill, (Senate Bill No 1 of 2023) has been undergone its first reading in the National Assembly.

The principal objective of the Bill is to amend certain provisions in the Tea Act, 2020 to protect the tea growers’ proceeds from mismanagement by factories.

The Bill also aims to incentivize value addition of tea by exempting value added tea from payment of the tea levy.

The Bill, sponsored by Sen. Hillary Sigei and Hon. Brighton Yegon in the National Assembly was considered and passed by the Senate on the 8th of October, 2024, before being forwarded to the National Assembly for concurrence.

If the Bill is enacted, the tea industry will be liberalized through direct sales of tea overseas providing multiple marketing avenues and enhancing the opportunity for price discovery.

The Bill has been committed to the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock for consideration before a report is tabled in the House for debate at its second reading stage.