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All mung beans (ndengu) farmers will be required to register with the relevant County Executive Committee (CEC) members if the Mung Beans Bill, 2022 is passed into law.

According to Kitui Senator Enoch Kiio Wambua, who is the bill sponsor, the registration is aimed at maintaining a register of all mung bean growers, recording the location, size, and variety of mung beans grown; and assessing the potential crop capacity within counties and the country.

Wambua has however denied reports that ndengu farmers will be required to obtain a licence to grow the crop, which is deemed a cash crop in most parts of the country.

“It has come to my attention that misleading information is being circulated in the press and social media regarding the Mung Beans Bill, 2022, sponsored by Sen. Enoch Kiio Wambua. Specifically, 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,” Wambua stated.

The Mung Beans Bill, 2022, was officially published on December 30, 2022, and was read for the first time in the Senate on February 15, 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. The Bill aims to provide a framework for the regulation and promotion of the mung bean industry in Kenya,” he added.

“The Bill requires small and medium-sized mung bean farmers to register with the relevant County Executive Committee (CEC) member. This is a common practice already in place for other crops such as tea and coffee. The primary purpose of this registration, as outlined in Clause 8 (2) of the Bill, is to allow the government to maintain a register of all mung bean growers, record the location, size, and variety of mung beans grown; and assess the potential crop capacity within counties and the country.”

No licencing for ndengu farmers

According to Wambua, licensing is specifically required only for persons or entities that intend to market, process, or engage in large-scale trading of mung beans and related products.

“The registration of small and medium-size mung bean growers is intended to help the government better understand and promote the development of the mung bean industry. This data is crucial for strategizing on how to make Kenya’s mung bean industry competitive on an international level,” he adds.

Wambua says the bill seeks to facilitate and develop a framework that will regulate and promote the ndengu industry in Kenya, ensuring that it thrives both locally and internationally.

According to him, the registration process is not a punitive measure against ndengu farmers.

“I urge the public and the press to refer to the actual text of the Mung Beans Bill, 2022, to avoid spreading misinformation. The Bill does not impose a license requirement for growing mung beans; it only requires registration for small and medium-size farmers, similar to other regulated crops. The licensing provisions are solely for commercial activities such as processing and large-scale trading,” he said.