Storm in the cup of tea, as chairman of tea farmers Wambugu Gachunji calls on the election losers to accept the reality and move on
By The Mountain Journal
A row is brewing in Murang’a over the just
concluded election of a board member to present tea growers interests.
In the region, the growers affiliated to the 10
tea factories elected new directors based on their capacity to reform the multi
million shillings sector over the claims of unattended concerns.
But the election of Mr Paul Kagema as the board
member to represent interest of the growers from Kigumo, Kandara and Gatanga sub
counties at the KTDA met turbulence from his rival Mr Moffat Mbue.
Mbue the chairman of Makomboki tea factory in
Kigumo contested the Board member election where he got seven votes, while Kagema
garnered 27 votes and declared the
winner.
Mbue claimed there were incidents of bribery and manipulation
of directors by Kagema.
“I was dissatisfied with the outcome of the
election and I will report the malpractices to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary
Peter Munya seeking a fresh election,” said Mbue.
The issue of election malpractice yet to be validated
at the time of going to the press.
Kagema on his part downplayed the issue blaming it on politicians who are pursuing support saying he won fairly and in
a broad day light.
“I have been in the tea industry for
long and have been contesting the regional slot losing narrowly to the
former Eng Erastus Gakuya, of Makomboki tea factory,” said Kagema.
In Murang’a
North area, there were celebrations after Mr bChege Kirundi was elected to present
the growers interests in the KTDA Holdings Limited.
The directors
from Githambo, Kanyenya ini, Gatunguru and Kiru honoured Kiru with the position
he had been holding before he was bundled out of the board after he questioned
policies at the KTDA concerning the payment to the growers.
In Mt Kenya region, there is a line up for the
individuals eying to replace the former KTDA Chairman Mr Peter Kanyago, after
he was replaced at Chinga tea factory.
The leading contender for the slot is Murang’a
North Board Member Mr Chege Kirundi.
In Kirinyaga, there is a push for director Mithamo Wa Susana to eye for the
slot
Kirundi is touted the best to take the
chairmanship after he initiated the reform in KTDA in 2017 through demand for a
forensic audit in the operations of the management agent before renewal of
management agent contract.
After the
agency defied the board of directors at Kiru sacked the KTDA company secretary Dr
John Kennedy Omanga and engaged services of Bernard Kiragu.
The factory board also demanded increased
monthly payment from Sh15 to Sh25, and reduction of the management fee from 2.5
percent to 1.5 percent.
“The reforms in the tea sector have been agitated
by the small-scale holders whose concerns had been ignored for years by the
management of KTDA,” said Kirundi.
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