Tea election
Tea directorship candidates will this week seek nomination from the IEBC in their respective tea factories in preparation for the June 28 directorship election.
Majority of the candidates spent the weekend meeting requirements ahead of the nomination process to comply with the resolutions of the joint meeting chaired by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
The resolutions brought to an end the month-long tension between the KTDA directors and the Board of Kenya (TBK). KTDA Chairman Enos Njeru said the directors in the tea growing counties are ready for the polls based on their leadership towards steering the industry to profitability.
Njeru said the sector through the reforms continues to reap profits owing to the better prices in the market. “We are going into the election determined that we have given the small-scale growers the best prices in a span of three years from Sh16 per kilogramme of green leaf to Sh25,” said Njeru.
Henry Koech, a farmer in Bomet said there was a need for the farmers to approach the election with a sober mind and pick the best in the management of the 54 tea factories. “There were those that should be replaced but the majority are equal to the task,” said Koech, a farmer affiliated with the Mogogosiek Tea Factory.
In Mt Kenya region, the farmers say in three years, the sector has benefitted them, with the number of those applying for loans from shy locks reducing owing to the timely green leaf green leaf payment. Chairman of Mt Kenya/ Aberdare Tea Farmers Association Mr Wambugu Gachunji said the timely payment to the growers has been of much benefit with the farmers managing their finances effectively.
Speaking at Kanyenya ini market, he said, the payment of the green leaf by 5th of every month has empowered the growers financially as compared to the past years. “The sector under leadership of KTDA Njeru, the directors have steered the industry to profitability after the green leaf price increased from Sh16 to Sh25 per kilogramme in three years,” said Wambugu.
In Kiambu County, KTDA Board Member David Ichoho said the contestants are preparing to participate in the nomination process. “Once the nomination process is concluded campaigns will kick off immediately,” said Mr Ichoho.
James Muchai, a contestant at Makomboki tea factory in Kigumo says they are meeting the IEBC officers today for the nomination. “We are set to have a credible election to allow farmers to make their decision,” said Muchai.
Last week IEBC and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration held meetings organized by the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK). The meetings, which took place in Nyeri and Kericho counties, brought together security officers from the tea growing counties.