Parliament Rejects Controversial Mug Beans Bill

The National Assembly has rejected the Mung Beans Bill, (Senate Bill No. 13 oF 2022) at the second reading stage.

The Mung Beans Bill, 2022, co-sponsored by Paul Nzengu in the National Assembly and originally sponsored by Senator Enoch Wambua in the Senate was published on 30th December 2022 and was read for the First Time in the Senate on 15th February 2023.

The Bill was passed in the Senate and referred to the National Assembly on 21st February 2024.

According to a statement, the Mung Beans Bill, 2022 seeks to facilitate and develop a framework that will regulate and promote the mung bean industry in Kenya, ensuring that it thrives both locally and internationally.

The Bill also seeks to promote the use of the Mung Beans by the National and County Governments in the implementation of feeding programmes and facilitate the introduction of modern Mung beans farming techniques and general modernization of the Mung bean industry for cost control and productivity improvement.

Following rejection of the Mung Beans Bill, 2022 by the National Assembly, the Bill will be committed to a mediation committee.

Next steps

The statement says the Speakers of National Assembly and the Senate will appoint an equal number of Members to a mediation committee to consider an agreed version of the Bill and communicate the decision to the other House in line with Article 113 of the Constitution.

The mediation committee has 30 days to develop the mediated version of the Bill.

Upon development of a mediated version of the Bill, the Mediation Committee will table in both Houses a Report on its consideration of the Bill and the mediated version of the Bill thereof for consideration by both Houses.

If both Houses approve the Report of the mediation committee and the mediated version of the Bill, the Bill is deemed to have been passed.