The race to manage tea factories gets momentum

KTDA directors free to attend and expect a fair hearing in the farmers meetings

By The Mountain Journal crew in Othaya

Tea growers go to poll despite stiff opposition by KTDA

Tea growers affiliated with three tea factories in Murang’a will go to the polls tomorrow despite the opposition by Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).

Already, the growers affiliated to Gacharage, Ngeere, and Gatunguru tea factories will hold their extraordinary meetings to deliberate on the future of the sector following the introduction of Tea Regulations 2020.

The focus of the election will be at Chinga tea factory in Nyeri county, the home base of KTDA Charman Peter Kanyago where the farmers will also be going to their extraordinary meeting.

The meetings kicked off after the Tea Regulation backed by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Pe Munya were passed into law/

Chairman at Gacharage factory Mr Paul Kagema has confirmed that the meeting will proceed with 6,000 growers expected in his backyard.

“The growers affiliated to Gacharage have been invited for the meeting to deliberate on the future of the sector,” said Kagema.

Last week, KTDA directors converged at Ngeere tea factory where they castigated Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya for instituting reforms in the tea sector contrary to the Company Act.

The elections will also be held in other counties in the Mt Kenya region tea-growing belt with law enforcers mobilized to provide security.

At Kiru tea factory in Mathioya, Chairman Chege Kirundi has issued a 21 days’ notice to the growers for the meetings where there will be an election of the directors.

A week ago the elections were held in Nduti, Njunu, Makomboki, Ikumbi, Githambo, and Kanyenya-ini where the chairpersons and their deputies were elected to take over the management of the factories.

Two weeks ago President Uhuru Kenyatta issued an Executive Order directing the Attorney General Institute a probe in the activities of KTDA and its subsidiary companies and move that has been contested by the agency through civil litigations.

Tea farmers at Gacharage, Gathunguru, and Ngeere tea factories in Murang’a say they are ready to hold their extraordinary meeting on Wednesday ( March 31, 2021) and face the consequences for fighting for their rights.

Kiru tea factory will go to the polls on April 16 after the board through the company secretary issued a 21 days’ notice to the shareholders.

Chairman Chege Kirundi said nothing bars the farmers from holding their meetings to comply with the government regulation.

“Kiru was the first factory to sack Kennedy Omanga as the company secretary after KTDA resisted we conduct a forensic audit in their operations ahead of the renewal of the management contract,” said Kirundi.

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