About 5,000 tea farmers have protested after allegedly being blocked form setting up a satellite factory in Amugaa Thangatha Ward, Tigania East.
Farmers James Muriungi, Daniel Mutuma and Mbaabu M’Mwenda told the Star they gave 20 acres for the factory but Miciimikuru board members are inciting shareholders against an agreement they had reached.
The protester said they are not against deduction of their money for the project, but are against the cash being decucted. They asked the Ministry of Interior and the Ethics and Anti-Commission to intervene and ensure a satellite factory is built in Amugaa.
But regional director Nathan Kirera disputed the claims, saying no cash has been diverted. He said the Sh300 million contributed is safe.
Kirera said presently, Nyambene Ranges cannot support two factories and two satellites.
“We will build the satellite with time when the crop is enough. We require Sh350 million as shareholders equity to start a satellite and a financier to step in. It takes time for the shareholders to repay," Kirera said.
“We want the board call a special general meeting and shareholders to decide the way forward. I do not have the figure right now but the amount has not reached Sh 300 million. I request them to expand Igembe factory and once the satellite is viable, it must be built,” he said yesterday on the phone.
Thangatha Ward MCA King’ori Gituma, who joined the protests, told journalists that farmers are deeply pained because the satellite factory would have eased congestion and wastefulness at the main factory.
He said farmers had been deducted Sh300 million for 13 years that was approved by the shareholders to set up the satellite.
Gituma said he will lead demonstrations every Monday until farmers know why they are denied an equal share of their money.
He said if a satellite factory is build at Amugaa, there will be no congestion, no poor payments, tea quality will improve, there will be no longer wasting of tea leaves and the health of the farmers will greatly improve.
(Edited by P. Wanambisi)
