Hundreds of tea farmers from Nyamira County on Wednesday gathered at Nyaronge primary school to persuade the government to intervene and save the dwindling tea farming in the region.
Speaker-after-speaker urged the Kenya Tea Development Authority to surrender control of tea farming to the government following what they termed as ‘mismanagement and grand corruption’ within the sector.
According to them, management of tea factories from the region was taking advantage of their desperation to continue buying the product at Sh12 per kg, contrary what their counterparts from surrounding Sasini tea were giving farmers - Sh17 per kg.
“We are very sad that every day we continue suffering in the presence of a legitimately elected government. Time has come for the government to act and have our efforts rewarded with a better pay and stop these managers for taking us for granted,” said Mr Okero Omboe.
They asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to implement his promises of reforming the tea sector since he had assured them when he visited the region mid-last year.
“Time has come for the president to act. He promised us that tea farming will be reformed by having farmers getting their dues and bonuses in time but nothing has since happened,” added Mr Ombwori Morara.
They threatened to uproot the crop if radical surgery was not done in management or reconsider selling their product to neighbouring private tea company - Kipkebe factory.
“We have several ways of responding. Some of us can uproot the crop and venture into other productive business of swear allegiance to the neighbouring Kipkebe tea factory that is privately owned,” Ombwori added.