Senator Enoch Kiio Wambua of Kitui County has come out to clear the air concerning the Mung Beans (ndengu) bill 2022 which attracts a Ksh 1million fine for unlicensed large-scale farmers of the crop which is also known as ndengu.
In a statement on Thursday, Wambua clarified that the Bill had already been referred to the National Assembly early this year.
He disputed claims that all Kenyans will need to obtain a license to grow mung beans if the Bill is passed saying that only persons or entities that intend to market, process, or engage in large-scale trading of mung beans and related products will require licenses.
Senator Wambua noted that the Bill only required the small and medium-sized mung bean farmers to register with the relevant County Executive Committee (CEC) member similar to the registration practice of tea and coffee farmers.
“The Mung Beans Bill, 2022, was officially published on 30th December 2022 and was read for the First Time in the Senate on 15th February 2023. Contrary to some reports, the Bill is no longer in the Senate; it was passed in the Senate and referred to the National Assembly on 21st February 2024,” he stated.
“Some reports incorrectly claim that Kenyans in general will need to obtain a license to grow mung beans if the Bill is passed. This is a misrepresentation of the Bill’s intentions and provisions.”
“The Bill does not impose a license requirement for growing mung beans; it only requires registration for small and medium-sized farmers, similar to other regulated crops. The licensing provisions are solely for commercial activities such as processing and large-scale trading.” Wambua added.
According to the Senator, the purpose of the registration to allow the government to maintain a register of mung bean growers, record the location, size, and variety of mung beans grown and also assess the potential crop capacity within counties and the country.
