By The TMJ Reporter in Murang’a
” A week ago the growers blocked the management from transporting tonnes of coffee for milling,” says Reuben Kagiri.
A five-man caretaker committee has been
appointed investigate the alleged mismanagement at the troubled Gaturi Farmers Cooperative
Society in Murang’a.
The committee chaired by Mwangi Kimwere was
elected during a special general meeting held at Mugeka Chiefs camp, Kiharu.
The
bitter farmers replaced management committee led by Peter Gikonyo after it was
dissolved to pave way for investigations over alleged misappropriation of resources.
A committee member who led the rebellion Mr
Julius Macharia said there was a need to
let the growers make a decision after
the management failed to deliver.
There are issues related to unpaid money to
the growers, let deliveries were made, he observed.
“ I have been in the committee but at a certain
point I felt things were not working and
instituted process for change and which
ended successfully,” said Macharia.
Gikonyo’s committee served the society for
a year, as it was elected into office in a similar manner.
The
dissolution of the management committee followed claims of withholding farmers
payment estimated at Sh2.5 million, from the sale of coffee delivered to five
factories in the crop year 2019/2020 among other issues.
The protest started early in the year after
the management acquired Sh23 million loan from a commercial bank to pay
for delivered coffee, and deducted
Sh10 per kilogramme to offset the debts incurred.
The growers launched a protest that forced
payment of Sh4.65 per kilogramme of cherry delivered.
During the meeting convened by Murang’a
East Cooperative Office followed pressure mounted by farmers for the release
the remaining Sh5.35 per kilogramme.
Also
the farmers want the management stripped powers on deciding milling and
marketing agent after Gikonyo team changed Central Kenya Mills to Tropical Farm
Management.
The
interim chairman said in the year the farmers delivered 492,000 kilogrammes and
they are interested to investigate why payment has not been accomplished.
“The farmers have interest to listen from
the contracted millers on how much they paid to the society and reasons behind
withholding a section of the payment,” said Mwangi
The mandate of the interim committee includes investigating the change of milling contract
from Central Kenya Coffee Mills to Tropical Farm Management.
A week ago
the growers blocked transportation of bags of parchment coffee for
milling and marketing, citing the management had no powers to effect
transactions until the special meeting was held.
The committee
acquired Sh23,911,996 loan from a bank
after a miller withheld farmers due following past transactions.
“I was elected in the office in December
2019, and farmers gave my committee mandate to assist them to get the best prices
in the market and which I have struggled to deliver,” said Gikonyo.
Gikonyo is the national
chairman of Kenya Coffee Producers Association supported by the growers
countrywide.
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