Baringo residents are up in arms against plans to relocate a Sh100 million coffee factory from the area to Eldama Ravine.
Governor Stanley Kiptis's predecessor Benjamin Cheboi had commissioned the factory at Katimok forest in Baringo North in April last year.
But on Tuesday, a statement on the county government's officials social media page announced fresh plans for the factory.
"Construction of the modern coffee milling plant will start at Koibatek Agricultural Training Centre in Eldama Ravine after consultations with farmers," read part of the statement.
On Wednesday, residents demanded that the plan to move the factory be halted because they were not consulted.
The statement says Katimok is not a suitable venue because it is cold and it will be difficult to dry the coffee berries.
Kiptis denied being part of the deal and said his administration is committed to expanding coffee production in Baringo.
“We are ready to produce coffee to meet the needs of Korea and other markets because we have the potential,” Kiptis said.
The Star established that the county government reached the resolution during a meeting held at Kerio Valley Development Authority hall in Kabarnet town July 9.
"Coffee farmers drawn from 22 cooperative societies met and unanimously agreed to relocate the factory," read the resolutions in part.
Farmers claimed the 2.5 hectares in Katimok was owned by the Kenya Forest Service and the land lacked a title deed.
They also said there was lack of infrastructure and market.
The meeting was chaired by Agriculture and Livestock CEC Richard Rotich. Agriculture Chief Officer Agriculture William Kurere and the County Director of Agriculture Kibet Maina were present.
Residents accused Kiptis of allowing his junior officers to convene an illegal meeting with cartels to relocate the factory as he buries his head in the sand.
"We cannot accept this, it is either the factory remains in Katimok or we be allowed to look for better space, but it will not be moved to Eldama Ravine," farmer Benjamin Kipkorir said.
"There is no way Governor Kiptis can come and bulldoze planned projects instead of initiating his own," he said.
An elderly farmer Walter Komen from Ossen recalled how in the early 1980s farmers in Eldama Ravine uprooted their coffee bushes for lack of markets.
"The people of Baringo North and Baringo Central remained loyal to coffee farming despite the challenges they faced. We had been promised a factory, and now it is being taken away," Komen said reacted.
Residents threatened to hold demonstrations to the county government offices if the plans are reversed.
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