Kiambu Cooperative Society plans to install CCTV cameras in all its 15 affiliate coffee factories to curb theft of the produce.
The society’s chairman Mr Julius Waweru said this will protect the farmers in the wake of the rising cases of coffee parchment theft.
Mr Waweru, who was addressing a security meeting attended by more than 200 watchmen on Monday at Kawaida Shopping Centre, said coffee theft is rampant in the area and farmers have lost coffee worth over Sh3.5 million in a span of two weeks.
Recent cases of the thefts were reported at Sasini and Kawaida factories where 140 bags were stolen.
The chairman said the society management had invited quotations from potential bidders to ensure the cameras are installed as soon as possible.
"We are on course to install CCTV cameras in all coffee factories. We have invited bidders for the tender," he confirmed.
He observed that majority of the watchmen at the factories have no mobile phones and they report cases of theft promptly for any action to be taken.
The chairman said they will provide mobile phones loaded with airtime to the watchmen to enable them report whenever robbers strike.
He accused some private millers in Kiambu of colluding with some watchmen to steal coffee, with the area OCPD Stephen Ngetich, saying his team has declared war on those bent on stealing from farmers.
The OCPD asked the society’s management team to vet their watchmen to weed out the bad elements that work in cahoots with some of the private millers to steal the coffee.
Mr Waweru further said plans are underway to construct a warehouse in the area with a capacity of over 10,000 bags where farmers will store all their coffee.
He said the central storage will be manned by armed police officers round the clock to ensure the coffee is well protected.