By The Mountain Journal
Twelve tea farmers representatives elected to facilitate implementation of tea regulations will go to the polls this Friday to elect their national chairman.
Traditionally, the holders of the chairmanship come from East of Rift where there are seven directors, out of 12.
The elections will be held at a Nairobi hotel according to a notice sent to the board members representing the counties.
In the slot of the National Chairman, insiders in the tea sector says alot will be on the education background of the board members interested in the position that has attracted three persons.
Those who have declared interest are Chege Kirundi, a lawyer by profession and a chairman at Kiru tea factory in Murang’a.
The gears are out to replace Peter Kanyago who has been at the helm of KTDA for years.
Only one person from Rift side has declared interest to run for vice chairman position.
David Ichohi from Kiambu county and a holder of master’s degree has joined the league of those interested for the chairmanship position after a first time directors in the industry.
Kirundi has served for the longest duration in the tea sector and had a severed relationship with KTDA after he questioned many of the policies he felt were oppressive to the growers.
He is a certified member in various professional institutes that include arbitration.
” I have what it takes to serve the 600,000 tea growers in Kenya. Kiru tea factory became the first to take a different path from KTDA. We demanded a forensic audit in the operations of KTDA at the plant before we renewed the management contract,” said Kirundi.
John Mithamo Wasusan from Ndima tea factory in Kirinyaga county is a business man dealing with real estate.
You can get in touch with our Newdesk
