KTDA row escalates as Zone 1 directors oppose Ichoho’s ouster

Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) management row intensified after Kiambu tea factory directors vowed to challenge David Ichoho’s ouster as national chairman.

The directors who met at Gachege Tea Factory in Gatundu North took issue with the KTDA board for replacing Ichoho with Njiru Njeru after he reportedly wrote a resignation letter. In their statement, the factory directors challenged the board’s “unprocedural” dethronement of Ichoho, upholding that the embattled man had obtained court orders to block his removal from office.
Normal processes

“KTDA has structures and rules that govern it. Ichoho was not subjected to the normal processes of removing KTDA national chairperson from office. The directors’ opinion and that of farmers who he actually represents were never sought,” said Gilbert Githae, a director at Mataara Tea Factory.

The directors described Ichoho who took up the position of KTDA board chairman in June 2021, after the ouster of the previous office holder Peter Kanyago as a transformative person who has successfully implemented reforms that have seen over six million farmers earn better from tea produce.

Under Ichoho, the directors stated, farmers have been able to earn better, receive their monthly pay on time and get subsidised fertilisers among other positive impacts that have restored sanity in the sector.
Led by Emmah Wangari, the factory directors urged the government to depoliticise the tea su-sector to avert taking farmers back to the era of low returns.