Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri has raised alarm over what she termed as glaring disparities in tea bonus payments.
Okenyuri claimed that farmers in
Kisii and Nyamira counties are being shortchanged compared to their
counterparts in other tea-growing regions.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Okenyuri said while
farmers in Mt Kenya are receiving bonuses averaging Sh50 per kilo, those in
Kisii and Nyamira counties are earning as little as Sh12 per kilo.
“This glaring disparity has caused deep frustration and
triggered anger among farmers who feel shortchanged and discriminated against
despite producing tea that is sold in the same international markets,” Okenyuri
told the House.
The senator warned that the frustration had already spilled
into unrest, with reports of enraged farmers destroying tea collection centres
in protest.
She added that the discrepancies had reignited concerns over
the Kenya Tea Development Agency’s (KTDA) pricing and distribution systems,
questioning whether smallholder farmers in certain regions were being
systematically disadvantaged.
“Mr Speaker, the bonus discrepancies have left many farmers
disillusioned, believing their sweat and toil is not being fairly rewarded.
This is a matter of transparency and fairness,” she said.
Okenyuri cautioned that inequities in bonus payments risk
destabilising Kenya’s tea sector, one of the country’s largest foreign exchange
earners and a livelihood for millions of families.
She urged the government, in partnership with KTDA and other
stakeholders, to urgently address the disparities and implement reforms to
restore fairness, equity, and confidence among farmers in Kisii, Nyamira, and
other affected regions.’
Her remarks come after the KTDA blamed the weak currency for
dwindling bonus payments following an uproar by tea farmers.
In a statement Tuesday morning, the Agency attributed this
year's drop in earnings to international market dynamics and currency exchange
movements that were less favourable compared to last year.
The strengthening of the Kenyan shilling against the US
dollar contributed largely to the reduced earnings by KTDA.
“In 2024, the Kenyan shilling traded at an average of Sh144
to the US dollar, while in 2025 the average was Sh129. This weaker exchange
rate meant that even where international prices were stable, the amount
realised in Kenya Shillings was significantly lower,” the statement read.
Farmers have been protesting in the country’s tea belt areas
west of the Rift Valley, where factories announced meagre payments compared to
previous years.
The regions that include Nyamira, Kisii, Kericho, Bomet,
Nandi and Vihiga counties have seen tea farmers earn less compared to areas
east of the Rift Valley such as Nyeri, Murang’a, Meru, Kirinyaga, Embu and
Kiambu.
The tea agency noted that the drop also affected tea prices
in different regions of the country. For instance, the East Rift and Kiambu
fetched Sh371 per kilo, a drop of Sh46 from last year.
KTDA further stated that Murang’a earned Sh376, down by
Sh42; Nyeri earned Sh388, down by Sh42; Kirinyaga earned Sh400, down by Sh38;
Embu earned Sh404, down by Sh34; and Meru earned Sh381, down by Sh46.
KTDA explained that these discrepancies exist because tea
from high-altitude zones naturally fetches better prices due to its higher
quality, which is favoured in global markets.
