The Mountain Journal
editor@themountainjournal.co.ke
The directors from the east of the rift have accused the Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr Kiprono Rono for playing politics misleading the farmers in the west on the bonus payment.
The KTDA directors led by Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe are calling for his exit from the Ministry of agriculture for politicizing the tea sector through issuing uncalled-for regulations .They pleaded with President William Ruto to remove him from the agriculture docket for playing decisive politics, likely to sabotage the lucrative tea sector, and embarrass the government.
The KTDA Holding Directors led by Kagombe, John Mithamo from Kirinyaga and Enos Njeru from Embu, the leaders observed that the PS has failed to appreciate the government’s efforts in providing the farmers with the subsided fertilizer and recovery of the Sh.6 billion from the two collapsed banks, thus he has been playing politics misleading the farmers from the west that their money was allocated to the bonus payment in the east.
Speaking at Golden Palm Hotel, Kenya, Murang’a, they said the utterance of the PS should be tamed, with Kagombe disclosed that through interfactories borrowing the factories in the west of the rift owe the factories in the east Sh14.7 billion as per September 30th.
“In the internal borrowing factories in the east owe the west factories Sh422 million,” said Kagombe as he attacked his parliamentary colleagues from the west for holding meetings out to incite the farmers.
The interfactories borrowing has been stopped and replaced by a Sh21 billion kitty at KCB with KTDA as the guarantor.
“ The West should focus on tea quality and reduce playing politics. The former Agriculture CS Peter Munya ensured there is quality in tea, a trend which is presently missing,” said Njeru.
Mithamo said the President should invite the directors for a round table meeting following the alarming tea hawking in West of the rift, where reports made are not acted upon.
“Those playing politics with the tea should cease as in the past 70 years , the farmers have worked in harmony. We shall not allow anyone to plant a discord between the east and the west,” said Mithamo.
