Two MPs have urged Embu farmers to take up arms and protect their coffee, following thefts of produce worth Sh2 million.
Police cannot be everywhere and may not be able to help.
They are Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga and Runyenjes MP Eric Muchangi. The two said there has been widespread coffee theft, which they alleged is perpetrated by private coffee millers and buyers. No arrests have been made.
Ndwiga and Muchangi met farmers at Emco Hall yesterday. They said police may not be able to respond calls every time, so farmers must make their own arrangements to guard their coffee, arrest thieves and hand them over to police.
The farmers thave hreatened to lynch thieves to teach others a lesson. They said they are fed up, adding the police have not arrested the culprits.
They urged the county to inspect licences and cancel fake ones.
The county declared a ban on coffee hawking, regardless of whether or not buyers are licensed.
The legislators urged coffee societies to instal CCTVs in their stores, offices and compounds to help in identifying thieve.
“We have been forsaken and abandoned as far as coffee protection is concerned. We should not be coming to Emco to cry. No! no! no! Where are we when coffee is being stolen? It’s our responsibility to protect it and not the commissioner or anybody else’s,” Ndwiga said.
Muchangi said, “The security of our coffee begins with us. We have to take the initiative of protecting it before seeking help from authorities. We have to integrate technology and instal CCTVs in our factories.”
The legislators said losing coffee society official aspirants were also responsible for the theft. They said the aspirants formed organisations to buy coffee as vengeance against those who defeated them. The two said dedicated society leaders should be elected.