Tributes continue to trickle in following the sudden demise of billionaire entrepreneur Stephen Mogeni, who died at Kisumu on Sunday.
Mr Mogeni, the proprietor of Mogeni Tea Factory, was instrumental in revolutionalising tea sector by introducing private tea factory.
Before that, farmers relied on Kenya Tea Development Agency, which is tasked with collecting and selling tea products on behalf of farmers.
Mogeni Tea Factory was built in 2014 to promote free market, thus expanding room for jobs across Nyamira and Kisii Counties.
Leaders have joined Governor John Nyagarama in paying tributes to Mr Mogeni, whose burial is likely to bring together thousands of entrepreneurs from across Kenya.
"He shaped our tea industry and since then, the monopoly of KTDA was thwarted. He gave farmers alternatives to their challenges," said Borabu MP Ben Momanyi.
"We have lost a pillar in the society. He believed in value addition and returns. He stopped farmers from uprooting tea crop across the county," added Jerusha Momanyi.
According to Emily Mogeni, a relative, Mr Mogeni has been dealing with ill health for a couple of months, a move that led to his admission in Kisumu.
Former nominated MCA Damaris Mouni lauded Mogeni as an ideological leader who believed in the success of farmers across the region.
"Some of us have a bad mentality that farming is not rewarding. However, we have seen many people making billions from farming business."
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