On December 23, the MPs passed the Tea Act of 2020 paving the way for a realignment in the sector. However, it has not been a smooth sail as Kenya Tea Growers Association moved to court seeking a declaration that some sections of the Act are unconstitutional. Justice Anthony Mrima issued temporary orders awaiting the determination of the case.
Regardless of the challenges, there is optimism among intellectual property practitioners that Parliament will entertain the enactment of a geographical indication legal framework, which stalled a decade or so ago. A geographic indication is a symbol showing region of source of goods, for example, a town, region, or country that oozes certain quality because of either/or a combination of geographical, environmental, natural and human factors.
