Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba has warned that President William Ruto’s dream of transforming Kenya into Singapore is unrealistic unless the government urgently protects the country’s tea sector from excessive taxation and harmful legislation.
In a statement on Sunday, December 7, 2025, Wamuchomba said over-taxation is pushing Kenya’s tea industry – a key foreign-exchange earner – to the brink, threatening the country’s economic stability and farmers’ livelihoods.
“Without dollars coming into Kenya from the Tea sector, the Road to the Dreamland ‘Singapore’ is just a fallacy,” she wrote.
The MP noted that Kenya’s tea industry currently faces 42 separate taxes and deductions, making it increasingly difficult for farmers to thrive.
“How do you succeed when you expose a single crop like TEA to 42 taxes and deductions?” she asked.
Wamuchomba expressed alarm at the Tea Amendment Bill proposals, which seek to introduce new levies on an already overburdened sector. She described the proposed measures as a setback that could erase decades of progress for Kenyan farmers.
“When I see the Tea Amendment Bill proposals seeking to introduce new levies on Kenyan tea to already overtaxed farmers, I only conclude that illusions are also dreams,” she said.
She also criticized Parliament for failing to defend farmers, accusing lawmakers of serving the interests of the Executive rather than the people.
“Kenyan parliamentary space is captured and only caters for the needs of the executive. I cry for my motherland,” Wamuchomba stated.
Looking ahead, the MP outlined her vision for agricultural reform if she ever became president. She pledged to end reliance on imported agricultural products when Kenyan farmers could meet local demand.
“When I become president, I will ban all imported coffee, tea, milk and eggs into Kenya. I will ensure all farmers produce sufficient for our domestic consumption,” she said.
Wamuchomba also questioned why Kenya continues to import instant coffee despite producing high-quality raw beans, wondering how countries without coffee trees have become major exporters to Kenya.
“How do we import instant coffee into Kenya, yet we produce the raw coffee? How can a country that doesn’t have a single coffee tree become a leading exporter of coffee to Kenya and globally? Am I dreaming?” she posed.
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