Elections
A section of members of New Gaturi Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Murang’a demanded for fresh elections of members of the management committee.
The farmers who presented a petition at the office of Murang’a Governor and that of county commissioner, Wednesday claimed the previous elections were compromised and did not follow set poll guidelines. Led by former chairman Peter Mwangi, the farmers alluded instead of using their Produce Member Cards (PMCs) to vote some farmers voted using their national identity cards, contributing to illegalities in the electoral process.
“We have conducted elections for the chairmanship position four times and they have all been marred with irregularities. Regardless, returning officers from the cooperative department went ahead to announce the winner. Our plea to the county government and other concerned leaders is to organize for us a repeat election because we are not happy with the credibility of the results of the recently concluded sham elections,” Mwangi claimed.
The protesting farmers also claimed plans by the new management to sell Koori farm and lorries belonging to their cooperative society in an effort to settle a debt amounting to Sh. 26 million.
Another farmer Peter Njomo on his part argued that the sale of the properties will contribute to the collapse of their cooperative society alleging those supporting the newly elected chairman contributed to the collapse of Umoja Dairy, a once thriving cooperative society.
“We are aware that they want to sell our farm so as to pay the Sh. 26 million loan that the cooperative owes. However, we doubt that the sale of the land and lorries will offset our debt since the same people who contributed to the collapse of Umoja Dairy are the ones supporting the ‘rigged’ chairman,” Njomo noted.
The farmer also highlighted concerns that signatories of their cooperative account have been changed without knowledge of most members. He pleaded with the governor to intervene and temporarily close the cooperative’s bank account to prevent malicious wars and usage of funds.
“It is shocking that those who have taken over our society have already made themselves signatories, and it is for this reason that we are seeking help to have the cooperative’s account closed so that funds cannot be manipulated,” added Njomo.
Murang’a County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha promised to hold a meeting soon with all members and discuss the bedeviling issues in the society.
In a rejoinder, King’aiya Gikonyo, the chairman being accused of attaining his position through shambolic elections, said he was in charge of the operations at the society legally after the local cooperative officer John Nderu presided over his election at Mugeka chief’s camp on September 6.
He accused the faction led by Mwangi saying the society faced numerous challenges when he was at the helm of the society and that majority of farmers were against him and his entire management team. Majority of farmers, Gikonyo said, are bitter over the mismanagement of the society and non-payment of the coffee warning the former management committee members to stop using the sideshows seeking sympathy.
Murang’a County Cooperative CEC Kimani Mugo said issues touching the society are under investigation, after the former management led by Mwangi failed to attend two meetings called by the area director of cooperatives. “It is on record that on August 30 and September 6, former committee members led by Mwangi snubbed the meetings as the farmers resolved to elect a new management committee,” said Mugo.