The government has announced the launch of a far-reaching audit specifically targeting some tea factory workers in a renewed push to address the persistent challenges facing small-scale tea farmers.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh said the latest directive marks a turning point in reforms aimed at addressing long-standing issues in the tea value chain and reducing practices viewed as exploitative by farmers.
“This is our time to sort out the issues affecting small-scale tea farmers. Farmers must get their deserved rights. The time for practices seen to disadvantage farmers is ending,” he said.
Speaking on Saturday during an event in Narok, Ronoh noted that while the government has already conducted audits across several tea factories, the findings indicate that deeper issues persist, prompting a more targeted scrutiny.
“We have done audits across factories, and we will continue to conduct them. But we have realised there are still problems,” he said.
The new audit, he said, will solely focus on factory workers who are receiving payments without owning tea farms, or those whose earnings appear higher than what their farm sizes would yield.
“Now we have asked the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) to conduct audits on tea factory workers who are getting money but don’t have tea farms. If you know you are getting money from tea and you don’t own a tea farm, prepare. If you are getting more pay from tea and your tea farm is small, also prepare, we will review those concerns,” Ronoh said.
He further mentioned concerns over the handling of funds in some factories, where revenues meant for farmers are alleged to be channelled to another general account.
The PS said this practice may allow the use of funds in ways that differ from what stakeholders expect.
“Something else we have realised is that some tea factories channel their money to a general...bank account so that they can use the money in ways that may not align with expected usage. We have now directed that all tea factories immediately open their own accounts so that money goes directly to each factory,” he said.
Ronoh emphasised that the law requires every tea factory to operate an independent bank account to promote transparency and accountability.
“The law requires that each tea factory must have an independent bank account where money is received and used for the intended purpose, which is to pay farmers,” he said.
He noted that the government has already made key interventions to support the sub-sector, including lowering fertiliser costs to Sh2,500, recovering Sh2.7 billion that was nearly lost, removing taxes, and allowing direct sales through a bill currently before Parliament. The government is also working to secure additional international markets.
“Next week I will be in Iran,” Ronoh said, adding that the government remains committed to expanding market access and boosting farmers’ incomes.
Ronoh was accompanied by Principal Secretaries Julius Bitok (Education), John Ololtuaa (Tourism), Aurelia Rono (Parliamentary Affairs) and Julius Korir (Water), among other leaders.
