By Sean Ngirichi/ The Mountain Journal
editor@themountainjournal.co.ke
Coffee farmers have continued to pressurise the government to drop the directive to force implementation of the direct payment by passing the cooperative societies.
The farmers across Mt Kenya region, in their general meetings have threatened to withhold their coffee as a protest to being forced to receive direct payment from the Direct Settlement System (DSS), terming the move as dictatorial.
In the counties of Kirinyaga and Murang’a, the growers threatened to stop engagements with the coffee market, as they are being forced into the direct payment without their consent.
The growers’ protests have accelerated ahead of the deadline to submit farmers’ details by today (July 1), to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE).
Coffee trading resumes on July 8, after a two month recess, as Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango had called on the suspending of the directive by the Cooperative CS Wycliffe Oparanya and instead conduct a public participation.
Photo/ Coffee Farmers in Kirinyaga county.
Already , farmers in Gatagua, Kahuhia, Kabare, Baragwi, New Ngariama and Mburi cooperative societies among others have warned their management committee of dire consequences should they submit their details without their consent, for the purpose to fast track the unpopular direct payment.
Kahuhia farmers cooperative Chairman Geoffrey Kanyiri and his Gatagua society counterpart Harrison Chege castigated the Ministry of Cooperative for being commanded by unknown players, dictating decisions to the farmers against the societies by laws.
Chege said the farmers are affiliated to control their cooperatives without manipulation by the state.
“ Someone is plotting a deal on behalf of the growers that’s why the NCE has not conducted a meeting in the factories yet it is a regulator,”said Chege.
Photo/ Performance of coffee brokers at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange after a sale.
Kanyiri asks the government to divert the energies to assist the farmers access quality seedlings to fast track increased production.
“ The issue of direct payment remains a closed chapter and Oparanya should be working on access to inputs and seedlings which are in demand among the farmers,” said Kanyiri.
The farmers led by Kelvin Macharia from Mirichi cooperative society claim that paying farmers directly to their phones through the money transfer system will lead to collapse of cooperatives and saccos that grant loans to the farmers.
Mugo Gikombe, a farmer from Baragwi Cooperative Society, questioned why the government was dictating the direct payment.
“ We suspect foul play as to why the government was interested in direct payment, when the farmers are interested in accessing quality fertilizers and coffee seedlings,” said Mugo.
At Kabare cooperative society, Gerald Murango accused the government for formulating policies that are friendly to the farmers.
“ As we battle with Direct payment, the Ministry of Cooperative has directed the cooperatives to adopt delegate systems, a true reflection of a ploy to lock out the growers from attending meetings,” said Murango.
