The Mountain Journal
Tea stakeholders in the
West of Rift seek to review of the management agreement contract, nine months
after they entered into a pact with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).
Directors from nine
factories have petitioned the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) seeking for an opportunity to amend of the financial
clause in the tea management agreement contract.
TBK Director in charge
of West of Rift, Mr Kennedy Kaburi said some of the stakeholders have
approached the regulatory body seeking to amend the financial clause to conform
with the Tea Act.
“In April, we from
the west signed an agreement allowing KTDA to control our accounts, now we want
to have the factories being custodians of their accounts,” said Kaburi.
In the agreement, the
management fee was reduced from 2.5 percent for the sale of tea to 1.5 percent
annually.
Kaburi said after the
sale of commodities through auction or direct sale, brokers are required to
deposit money in factories’ accounts and not the KTDA.
“With the factories
manning their accounts, KTDA can raise their invoices for payment for service rendered,” said Kaburi.
Chebut Tea Factory
director Mr. Noah Choge said other factories from the west of Rift are also
looking for an amendment to the agreement.
“We entered into a
pact in a hurry but Murang’a factories took time deliberating on the management
agreement eying to control farmers resources,” said Choge.
Ms Sarah Kibet in Bomet
said the farmers wish to enjoy the benefit of the reforms, as they have pushed
their management to seek for amendment.
“We have been pushing
our directors to march with Murang’a’s KTDA agreement. The directors should
have full control of the resources without being guided by the agent,” said Ms
Kibet.
www.themountainjournal.co.ke
