Farmers oppose move to challenge tea Bill

A section of tea farmers in Nyeri have opposed a move to challenge the proposed Tea Bill in a petition that is aimed at preventing the implementation of reforms that seek to improve the tea sector.

In a press statement, the farmers claimed that the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) was paying farmers to append their signatures in the petition to derail the process.

But the agency's corporate affairs manager Egadwa Mudoga dismissed their assertion, saying that should any of the farmers have evidence, they should use proper channels and table it in court.

This comes after 51 factories filed a petition against the Attorney-General saying the Tea Act has far-reaching negative consequences to the farmers, their operations, affairs and the tea industry at large.

"They (KTDA) are desperate and that is why they are introducing a case after another to derail the government from applying the regulations," said Mr Paul Waititu, a farmer from Ragati tea factory.

Mr Waititu said that farmers are eager for the implementation of the reforms as they will ensure they earn more for their produce but the directors who are opposed to them are "manipulating" farmers to ensure they stay in their managerial positions longer.

With the November directorship elections postponed, the farmers want the factories to be run by an interim committee awaiting the March elections.

"Their term ended in November but they are still in office running the factories illegally and using their time to derail implementation of the regulations," said Mr Waititu.

The farmers want the implementation process hastened so that they can increase their monthly pay from Sh16 per kilogramme to 50 per cent of their total deliveries to their respective factories.

According to Kaharo Munyiri, those that signed the petition were not bona-fide farmers, arguing that they should be provided with a list to verify they are farmers from the said factories.