By Morris Githenya
KTDA directors in Mt Kenya region have warned the Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Rono against politicizing the tea sector through issuing uncalled for regulations .
They pleaded with President William Ruto to remove him from the agriculture docket for playing decisive politics, likely to sabotage the lucrative tea sector and embarrass the government.
A tea stakeholders meeting is scheduled for early next month which will be convened by the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK).
The KTDA Holdings directors led by Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe, former board chairman Enos Njeru and John Mithamo WaSusana from Kirinyaga, claimed that action and remarks by the PS has failed to appreciate the government’s efforts in providing the farmers with the subsided fertilizer and recovery of the KSh6 billion from the two collapsed banks.
Speaking at Golden Palm Hotel in Kenol town, Murang’a county, criticised Rono’s remarks during a burial ceremony in Bomet county saying they could fuel disconnect between the farmers in the east of the rift and west of the rift over this year’s bonus payment out.
The bonus payment was KSh68.9 billion compared to KSh89 billion the previous year.
Kagombe disclosed that through interfactories borrowing, factories in the west of the rift owe the factories in the east KSh14.7 billion as per September 30th.
“In the internal borrowing factories in the east owe the west factories Sh422 million,” said Kagombe as he attacked his parliamentary colleagues from the west for holding meetings out to incite the farmers.
The interfactories borrowing has been stopped and replaced by a KSh21 billion kitty at KCB with KTDA as the guarantor.
The directors from the counties of Murang’a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Nyeri and Kirinyaga, refuted claims that hydro power stations established in the zones were established through the deductions from the factories in the west.
There was uproar over claims that bonus payment from the west was added to the east thus posting a better payout.
Njeru said the government should reduce the taxation as there are more than 40. There are many intercounties levies that should be considered.
“The West should focus on tea quality and reduce playing politics. The former Agriculture CS Peter Munya ensured there is quality in tea, a trend which is presently missing,” said Njeru.
On his part, Mithamo said the President should invite the directors for a round table meeting following the alarming tea hawking in West of the rift, where reports made are not acted upon.
“Those playing politics with the tea should cease as in the past 70 years, the farmers have worked in harmony. We shall not allow anyone to plant a discord between the east and the west,” said Mithamo.
On tea testing, Chairperson at Gitugi factory, Dr Muthoni Waithanji, told off the proponents of the introduction of laboratory tea tasting , saying the oral tasting remains the proven best.
During an interactive meeting early this week, farmers demanded return of the Rainforest Alliance certification that assisted the produce fetch better prices in the market.
They outlined that the certification had marketed the product in the premier markets thus received better payment.
