Tea Farmers Threaten Showdown With Parliament Over Controversial Bill
By Morris Githenya
A looming confrontation is brewing between tea farmers and Parliament over the contentious Tea Amendment Bill, with growers demanding that MPs halt deliberations and allow wider consultations.
During the ongoing KTDA factory annual general meetings, farmers in most of tea processing factories warned that the proposed law would reintroduce the outdated Direct Settlement System (DSS), which pays growers only after the sale of their tea. They argue that this move would destabilise their cash flow and undermine gains made in the sector.
The bill also proposes a tea levy of Sh3.85 per kilogramme of sold tea, an additional cost that farmers say will directly affect their earnings.
Growers from majority of factories accused Parliament of failing to consult factory directors before drafting the bill. They warned that, if passed, the legislation would derail factory development projects and disrupt procurement processes, including fertiliser importation.
KTDA Zone Six Board Member Enos Njeru said each factory would be forced to pay about Sh31 million annually in levies for made tea, based on the proposed rate. Combined with other taxes in the sector, he said the amendment would extract not less than Sh2 billion from the 71 smallholder tea factories.
“These are many of the issues that have annoyed tea farmers in their meetings, and we hope to have consultations with Parliament for the interest of the industry,” said Mr Njeru, who appealed to lawmakers from Mt Kenya tea-growing counties to intervene and “salvage farmers from the yoke of desperation.”
At Gatunguru Tea Factory, in Murang’a, growers vowed to lobby MPs to reject the bill, citing its negative implications.
They informed factory chairman Mwangi Kaguma that they would personally reach out to all seven MPs from Murang’a County to oppose what they termed a punitive proposal.
Kaguma noted that DSS had already been rejected by coffee farmers after it was introduced last November.
Farmer Simon Daiga expressed disappointment that some MPs from tea-growing areas were still unaware that the agriculture committee was debating the bill.
“It is unfortunate that some leaders said they will inquire more about the bill despite hailing from tea-producing zones,” he said.
Another farmer, Esther Ng’aari, said growers oppose what she described as “draconian regulations designed to cause dispute,” and called for the removal of contentious clauses.
“On December 8, farmers will have a meeting in Murang’a to declare their opposition to the contentious bill designed to cripple the tea industry, especially the smallholder,” she said.
At Njunu Tea Factory, Vice Chairman Maina Gathua demanded the bill be withdrawn, warning that it would plunge the sector into chaos.
“The farmers are in need of adequate fertiliser ahead of the rains as they have invested in the orthodox processing line,” he said.
Despite the tea crisis facing all the farmers, individual factories have their own issues that emerged during the meetings.
Some are calls for dissolution of boards, securing loans and high cost of running the factories.
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