Two Nyeri MPs have criticised Trade and Industrialisation CS Peter Munya for allegedly failing to address the problems facing coffee and tea sectors.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and Nyeri Woman representative Rahab Mukami lamented the poor state of the two sectors and urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene.
They spoke on Sunday at Kabiru-ini PCEA church in Mathira constituency, Nyeri, during the induction of Reverend Peter Mwikumi.
Gachagua said Munya is unavailable, inaccessible and has never visited farmers to know their issues.
The tea bonus announced recently, he said, is the lowest the farmers have received for many years.
Kenya Tea Development Authority chairman Peter Kanyago was quoted in the media saying this year’s payout would on average be 30 per cent lower.
The authority is set to announce the bonuses this week.
Gachagua said cartels pretending to superintend tea at the auction in Mombasa have connived to exploit farmers who have nobody to turn to.
“I am requesting President Kenyatta to direct the CS for Trade to urgently come and talk to farmers because, at the end of it all, it is the wearer of the shoe who knows where it pinches,” he said.
Gachagua said the cabinet secretary has been unwilling to dialogue with farmers and even local MPs.
People in this region depend on coffee, milk and tea and they would like to reap the benefits of their labour while President Uhuru is in office, he added.
But as long as Munya does not address the plight of farmers, he said, they will continue being exploited.
“Munya should tell farmers what the ministry intends to do to check the activities of officials at the tea auction in Mombasa,” he said.
He said the intervention by the CS will enable farmers to earn what is commensurate to their efforts and the sweat.
“These farmers work very hard. It is so sad that they have nothing to take home. Most of them can't pay school fees while others cannot settle hospital bills,” he said.
Local leaders have had a difficult time pleading with farmers not to uproot tea.
Gachagua said 90 per cent of Mt Kenya people depend on agriculture and if they have no income then there will be nothing for the farmers.
On her part, Mukami said the parliamentary Committee for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives has tried to call the CS to appear before it five times but in vain.
“Last week I raised a question in Parliament because I now want him to be summoned by the speaker as our efforts have been fruitless,” she said.
Mukami said tea farmers were used to getting bonuses of Sh50 per kilo of green tea but are now getting nothing.
This is because most of them had applied for advance payment of Sh30 per kilo expecting to be paid at least Sh50 as has been the norm.
People have started uprooting tea bushes and warned that things may be worse if nothing is done.
“I am pleading with Munya to come to our committee so that he can tell us where the problem is and propose solutions for the farmers,” she said.
Kieni MP Kanini Kega and Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri who were also present steered clear of the debate.
