Buiness Advocacy Fund May newsletter

7/31/2019 Buiness Advocacy Fund May newsletter

1/4


2/4

Speaker to list the Bill on Parliaments order of business.

Engage the Parliamentary Committee on Security, through breakfastmeetings and lunches to boost their understanding; generate their

support and encourage their participation on the Bill when it goes to

Parliament.

Kenya Med ica l Wom en s Assoc ia t ion ( KMWA) : Deve lopm ent o fEqua l oppor t un i t i es Act

In 2009, BAF supported KMWA to carry out a survey to collect evidence

on the nature and magnitude of gender discrimination, and the desiredchanges. KMWA (in conjunction with a network of other women based

BMOs) collected evidence on the nature and magnitude of the problemby holding focus group discussions to gather evidence of, and discuss the

actual experiences of women in the workplace.

The introduction and implementation of an Equal Opportunities Act willpromote awareness and the resultant policies will reduce discrimination

against women and other disadvantaged persons. Equal opportunities inthe workplace will also maximise the use of the countrys talent.

KMWA plans to summarise the research report and its policy position intoa brief (2 pages) policy position paper (PPP) clearly outlining its position

and policy proposals.

KMWA will partner with 14 other women BMOs to build a combined forceto advocate their PPP to the government with the aim of influencing the

development of a suitable Equal Opportunities Act. On the onset, KMWAwill seek to create a working partnership/coalition with the Ministry of

Gender. During the process, KMWA will also reach-out for the support of

the Kenya Women Parliamentarians (KEWOPA) and the Parliamentary

Select Committee (PSC) on Equal Opportunities

East Af r i can Tea Trader s Associa t ion ( EATTA) : Power Wh eel ing

The Greening the Tea Industry in East Africa (GTIEA) Project is funded

by UNEP and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). GTIEA is a smallhydropower projects (SHPs) initiative in East Africa Region. Its objective

is to support potential small hydropower developers in the tea industry in

the region to build SHPs for internal consumption and to supply theexcess electricity to the national grid. The tea industry is a heavy power

user at factory level used mainly to fire the tea leaves into granules. Themain source of power for the 100+ tea factories in Kenya is currently

wood.

GTIEA has funded a study to examine the feasibility of replacing wood-fired factories with electricity powered ones. The electricity would be

generated by hydro electric generated power from stations to be built inGura and Kipchoria. These two stations are intended power between 5

to 7 tea factories. If the model works and the resulting cost andenvironmental benefits accrue, further hydro SHPs would be built.

EATTA argues that successful implementation of / agreement on powerwheeling tariff arrangements at satisfactory tariff rates will create a win-

win situation for all stakeholders. Sustainable sources of power for tea

factories that are environment friendly (hydro vs. wood fired power)

would be built increased cost competitiveness for tea factories (excesspower generated would be sold to the national grid thereby reducing thenet cost of electricity to tea factories), wider use of SHPs would also


3/4

result in a net increase of supply of electricity to the national grid. The

environmental benefit would be reduced carbon emissions.

EATTA, together with GTIEA, wants to engage the Ministry of Energy and

the Energy Regulation Commission on the policy components of the draft

Energy Bill (in development) and the use of accepted internationalprinciples and formulas that guide the setting of power wheeling tariffs.

Other key stakeholders will be included - Kenya Power and LightingLimited, and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), the

Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture.

East Af r ican Tea Trader s Associat io n ( EATTA) : Vo lem Tea Levy

In 2010 BAF supported EATTA to engage the Ministry of Agriculture(MoA) on the Tea (Amendment) Bill 2010 now the Tea (Amendment)

Act 2011. EATTAs key advocacy was to overturn a Parliamentary Private

Members Bill (the so-called Kones Bill) proposal and maintain therequirement of tea producers to sell to the tea factories and protect the

supply chain to the tea auctions which it completed successfully. Other

MoA proposals (new tea levy, incentives to promote value addition in thetea sector, and the restructuring of the role of the Tea Board of Kenya)

were unsuccessful and are the subject of ongoing engagement.

EATTA wants MoA to reverse the current Gazette Notice on the ad

valorem levy and return to dialogue with the tea industry. EATTA

recognises that the Tea Board of Kenya and the Tea Research Foundationneed funding to carry out their mandates. These are intended to be

funded by the levy. However, the level of increase in the levy, EATTAargues, has not been demonstrated and is not justifiable.

EATTA has also consistently lobbied the MoA and the Tea Board of Kenya(TBK) to create a business environment that encourages investment in

building the tea industry (in the same way it has done the tourismindustry). The tea industry is given nothing and last year generated KShs

109 billion in foreign exchange earnings. By introducing this levy, the

government wants to raise the tea industry tax burden from KShs 200 /KShs 300 million to KShs 1 billion in one fell swoop. EATTA wants

incentives introduced for investment in value-addition activities, andthereby implement Chapter 4.2 of Vision 2030 value addition in the

agriculture sector. It would also place the Kenyan tea industry on a

more level playing field compared to its principal competitor Sri Lanka.(The Sri Lankan tea industry receives tax relief on investment and export

subsidies on packed tea.)

Ken ya Nat i o n a l Ch a mb e r o f Co mm e rce & I n d u s t r y (K i t a l e

Branch) : Fo l low up on I m p lement a t ion o f Sing le Bus iness Perm i t

Previously, BAF supported KNCCI Kitale to develop a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with the Kitale Municipal Council and the NzoiaCounty Council on the effective Single Business Permit (SBP)

implementation enforcement process; that eventually saw the removal of

un-necessary charges on the business community which was the mainadvocacy issue. Since then, significant progress has been made and the

benefits have been enormous.

KNCCI Kitale will to conduct an M&E survey in Trans Nzoia County on theimplementation of the MoU as per the agreed terms. The MoU was

implemented in Kitale Municipal Council and Nzoia County Council and

jurisdictions. After the survey, KNCCI will then organise a meeting with


4/4

the Town Clerks, the respective Council officials and the Provincial

Administration to discuss the findings of the survey and possibleinterventions. During the meeting, KNCCI will also seek to refresh the

spirit of the MOU with the council officials.

Ken ya Nat i o n a l Ch a mb e r o f Co mm e rce & I n d u s t r y (K i t a l eBranch) : Ext ension o f S ing le Business Perm i t MOU Jur isd ict io n

The SBP implementation/enforcement and harmonization program would

encompass and include stakeholders under the jurisdiction of not onlyKMC/NCC but be extended to rural areas thus conferring and spreading

the benefits of the MOU bargain to all local authorities officers and KNCCI

members across Trans Nzoia County and North Rift, specifically TurkanaCounty.

It is intended that if spread as indicated then the benefits would also

spread to many more members of KNCCI. The target in the extension ofthe jurisdiction will be the KNCCI Branches in the neighbouring counties

together with the respective council officials.Ken ya Nat i o n a l Ch a mb e r o f Co mm e rce & I n d u s t r y (K i su mu

Branch) : Fo llow up on im p lement a t ion o f Sing le Business Perm i t

Previously, BAF supported KNCCI Kisumu to develop a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with the Kisumu Municipal Council and the KisumuCounty Council on the effective Single Business Permit (SBP)

implementation enforcement process; that eventually saw the removal of

un-necessary charges on the business community which was the main

advocacy issue. Since then, significant progress has been made and thebenefits have been enormous.

KNCCI Kisumu will engage a consultant to conduct an M&E survey in

Kisumu County on the implementation of the MoU as per the agreedterms. The MoU was implemented in Kisumu Municipal Council andKisumu County Council and jurisdictions. After the survey, KNCCI will

then organise a meeting involving the Town Clerks, the respective

Council officials and the Provincial Administration to discuss the findingsof the survey and possible interventions. During the meeting, KNCCI will

also seek to refresh the spirit of the MOU with the council officials.

Ken ya Nat i o n a l Ch a mb e r o f Co mm e rce & I n d u s t r y (K i su muBranch) : Ext ension o f S ing le Business Perm i t MOU Jur isd ict io n

The SBP implementation/enforcement and harmonization program would

encompass and include stakeholders under the jurisdiction of not only

KMC/NCC but be extended to rural areas thus conferring and spreadingthe benefits of the MOU bargain to all local authorities officers and KNCCI

members across Nyanza region and Kisumu Municipal Council,specifically Kisumu County.

It is intended that if spread as indicated then the benefits would alsospread to many more members of KNCCI. The target in the extension of

the jurisdiction will be the KNCCI Branches in the neighbouring counties

together with the respective council officials.

Business Advocacy Fund Brick Court Second Flr Woodvale Grove/ Mpaka Road)Westlands PO Box 24735-00502 Nairobi

Tel 20-4453789, tel/fax 20-4453790 [email protected]

Documents

Buiness Advocacy Fund May newsletter