Directors of the tea factories should have at least first degree TBK delegates propose
The Mountain Journal
Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) delegates are seeking distinct roles to play which should be anchored in the tea regulations.
The 37 delegates from tea factories in the east of rift valley region outlined the need to be taken through an induction course, in efforts not to create conflict with directors manning the tea factories.
In a petition to Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, the delegates met in Murang’a when former Kinyona MCA Charles Kirigwi as the director of TBK to represent the tea growers from East of Rift Valley affiliated to 29 tea factories.
Photo/Kirigwi
Kirigwi of Ikumbi tea factory, Murang’a polled 33 votes defeating Francis Wanyaga of Chinga tea factories who garnered 23 votes.
Florence Nkatha from Weru Tea Factory, Meru was elected unopposed to represent women in the board.
“The delegates are asking to be the board communication agents in their respective areas of jurisdiction regarding farmer’s needs, complaints and disputes,” said Francis Muturi who read the petition.
The petition was handed to Ms Naomi Kamau, an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture who presided over the TBK elections at Nokras Riverine &SPA Hotel in Murang’a.
They proposed they should have a supervisory role in their respective factories in matters concerning board meetings, resolutions for checks and balances.
Kirigwi in his acceptance speech called for harmony among the delegates and support implementation of the tea reforms for the interest of the small scale growers.
“Since 2007 I have been a strategic person advocating to reform the tea sector and landing myself in problems but implementation of the tea regulation 2020 in full will be a breakthrough for the growers,” said Kirigwi.
Wanyaga said there are 50 clauses which are contentious in the tea Act that should be dealt with to enable full implementation of the reforms.
He hinted that the majority of the directors manning the tea factories were in their comfort zone, thus needing a strong regulator to streamline the operations in the sector.
“ Coming back of the TBK is a milestone in the tea sector which has a lot of potential estimated at more than $200 billion annually.
There are 140 TBK delegates in Kenya from 70 tea factories.
Proposal for a national delegates conference to deliberations on the emerging matters in the tea sector.
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