The Mountain Journal
Controversy surrounding the technical committee appointed on transition of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange to Coffee Exchange is causing ripples in the sector.
The controversy by Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango alleges that areas that produce more coffee were sidelined during the appointment of the nine member committee by Cooperative Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui early this month.
The senator’s remarks this week has sparked debate with a section of coffee growers from Mt Kenya warning him against frustrating the committee efforts to guide the reform at the coffee auction platform. Chelugui inaugurated the committee a week ago.
Led by James Dubai, John Mbarire and Joseph Kamande from Meru, Kirinyaga and Murang’a counties respectively, the farmers said it was right for the senator to air his opinion, but should not play politics while antagonising some members in the committee while pursuing his political ambitions.
In a meeting at Kenol market, Kandara, the farmers said the senator was playing divisive politics, instead of championing their interest of the farmers through seeking expansion of the committee to accommodate more experts.
They took a swipe at the senator over claims that private coffee brokers Peter Githinji and Roselyn Chepkurui were unwanted in the technical committee alleging conflict of interest.
Murango this week repeated that the duo were directors at the privately owned Alliance Berries Limited, as the committee lacks representation from counties that are large producers of coffee.
Murango, also the senate agriculture committee chairman, said the farmers invested in building of the NCE and would not let the transition to the Coffee Exchange.
“We need the committee to have representation from the counties of Kirinyaga, Nyeri,Embu, Kericho, Murang’a Bungoma and Meru as they are not represented. We will go to court to challenge the gazette notice that appointed the technical committee,” said the senator.
Githinji who heads the Alliance Berries Limited, Kamande said, represents interests of the private coffee brokers in the committee, while Chepkurui is a secretary of Kirinyaga slope brokerage firm.
“Murango has demonstrated hatred towards Githinji and Ms Chepkurui for no apparent reasons yet Chepkurui nurtured Kirinyaga Slope brokers firm from inception to registration by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA),” said Kamande.
In the technical committee, the farmers said Ms Irene Kabocha from Murang’a Cooperative union and Amos Mamboleo from Mt Elgon Cooperative union represented the union’s interests in the technical committee.
Other in the committee are Coffee buyer of international repute Jack Marrian from Taylor Winch, Job Kiumba is a commodity expert nominated by the Capital Market Authority (CMA), a coffee farmer Mr Augustine Kipkoech Chepkurwo and Abraham Korir, an coffee estate farmer in Kericho.
“The members were picked to help to formulate policies that will guide the transition of NCE to Coffee Exchange,” said Dubai.
Kamande said the hue and cry is a waste of time as the technical committee was inaugurated a week ago by Chelugui.
“Politicians should support the initiative to reform the coffee value chain instead of holding the sector hostage as they play the tricks,” said Kamande.
Mbarire said those appointed in the committee are experts in the coffee market, and politics should not be entertained.
“Politicians should help in the formulation of the policies to support growth of the nation, and stop mudslinging the experts. Chelugui appointed individuals with knowledge to help in the transition process,” said Mbarire from Kiagumo village in Kirinyaga county.
Mbarire added that Githinji apart from being a private coffee broker, was a prominent coffee farmer in Nyeri county.
Charity Nkirote, an estate farmer from Meru, called on Murango to lobby more members to be incorporated in the technical committee.
The senator, Nkirote said should be proud that Kirinyaga Slopes coffee brokerage firm was doing well in the market in the past two auctions at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange.
“ Estate farmers have been sidelined yet their input is highly required. Politicians if allowed would mess up the coffee sector” said Nkirote.
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