Kenyan MPs Vote Down 'Ndengu Bill' Amid Farmer Backlash

The members of Parliament on Tuesday rejected a proposal to impose a new tax on mung beans, commonly known as "ndengu."

This bill, which sought to establish a comprehensive framework for the production, processing, and marketing of mung beans (locally known as ndengu), encountered substantial opposition from Members of Parliament (MPs). The second reading, typically the first opportunity for lawmakers to debate a bill's core principles, saw a majority vote against its provisions. At the heart of the Mung Bill, 2022, was a set of stringent measures aimed at overseeing the mung bean sector. These included hefty fines of up to Sh1 million for individuals engaging in large-scale trading, marketing, or processing of mung beans without proper licensing.

Furthermore, the bill proposed to prohibit the sale of ndengu without a license from the respective county government, with violations potentially resulting in fines, imprisonment for up to two years, or both. The bill also outlines the formation of County Executive Committees (CECs) tasked with issuing licenses and maintaining detailed registers of mung bean growers within their jurisdictions. These committees were to be composed of a chairperson, a representative of local mung bean growers, and three public officers from the agriculture department. The proposal granted counties the autonomy to establish their own criteria for registering growers operating within their boundaries.

Despite its intentions to bring structure to the mung bean industry, the bill faced significant backlash from small-scale farmers during the public participation phase. Many expressed concerns about the potential burdens imposed by the proposed regulations, particularly regarding licensing requirements and associated penalties. This resistance was yesterday mirrored in the National Assembly where MPs ultimately voted to reject the bill. The fate of the Mung Bill, 2022, echoes that of the Livestock Bill, 2024, which was withdrawn in August to allow for more comprehensive public consultation by the State Department of Livestock. Both bills had proposed farmer registration measures that were met with considerable opposition from the agricultural community.

While the rejection of the Mung Bill, 2022 is definitive, there remains a possibility for its reintroduction after a six-month period. However, this would necessitate substantial revisions or reconsideration by its sponsors to address the issues that led to its initial defeat. In the interim, the bill will enter a mediation process, during which a committee will attempt to reconcile contentious clauses. The mediation committee has a 30-day window to agree on a revised version of the bill; failure to do so will result in the bill being considered lost. Conversely, if a mediated version gains approval from both houses, the bill will be deemed passed.