Gatundu South Member of Parliament Gabriel Gathuka Kagombe has raised concerns over the alleged conflict of interest in the legislative process of the Tea (Amendment) Bill, 2023, prompting him to ask for a rethinking at the National Assembly by the Speaker, Moses Wetang’ula.

Speaking in an interview with Kameme TV on Monday, June 8, 2026, Kagombe said that his involvement in the companies embroiled in the controversy has been misunderstood. His role in the Parliamentary Papers and Hansard as a director is a representation of the general public and not his own, he insists.

“I am indeed a director at the companies mentioned, and in the parliamentary proceedings before the committee, I have declared that, and it is available in the Hansard. But I have petitioned the case to Speaker Moses Wetang’ula because he has stated a conflict of interest, saying I have a pecuniary interest in the companies,” Kagombe said.

He says that his situation does not present a financial conflict of interest because he is not getting any private monetary gain from the companies. He said any returns associated with the entities are restricted to agricultural production, like normal farmers.

“I want to tell him that I am not a director of a personal company but am elected as a trustee in the companies to play a part on behalf of the people and therefore am not a director in the companies as an individual but am there to represent the people,” he added.

Kagombe also argues that the Speaker’s decision doesn’t reflect his role as a speaker but rather one for the public, saying his presence was to serve the public, not for personal gain.

“Therefore, the speaker cannot cite pecuniary interest because I have none, and the only proceeds I can get from the companies are from my own farm produce, just like any other farmer receives their benefits,” Kagombe noted.

Speakers ruling

The Speaker has returned the Bill to the House for further discussion, stating that he found that Kagombe had been present and participated in discussions on the Bill without ensuring he had disclosed his interest in companies that are involved in the tea sector.

The decision came after a petition filed by a Nyeri tea farmer who challenged the integrity of the process and asked for it to be annulled.

The controversy thrusts the Tea (Amendment) Bill, 2023, back into the spotlight, and lawmakers are likely to take another look at the provisions in the bill, given the increased concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and the role of sector-specific interests in lawmaking.

The directive by Speaker Wetang’ula highlights Parliament’s new focus on following conflict of interest guidelines, especially in areas like tea that are still crucial to thousands of small-scale farmers in the country.