MP Mukunji accuses govt of playing politics with Coffee and Macadamia farmers
By People Daily Digital Reporter, January 24, 2026Manyatta Member of Parliament (MP) Gitonga Mukunji has accused the government of politicising the agriculture sector, particularly the coffee and macadamia sub-sectors, saying farmers continue to suffer due to slow policy action and unfulfilled promises.
Speaking at a farmers’ forum hosted by the Kibugu Coffee Cooperative Society, the legislator revisited unfulfilled government pledges to clear debts owed by coffee cooperatives. He expressed frustration that promises made over the last four years remain unmet.
Mukunji questioned the government’s commitment, contrasting its swift action to clear debts for sugar companies in Western Kenya with the ongoing delays in the coffee sector. He noted that despite Parliament allocating Sh. 2 billion in the last financial year specifically for coffee debt clearance, critical cooperatives are still struggling.
As an example, he highlighted the plight of the Embu County coffee mill, whose debts are reportedly approaching Ksh200 million, and the Gakundu coffee factory, which was only saved from auction last year by a court order. The MP emphasised that the government has provided no clear timeline for settling these obligations, leaving farmers in limbo.
Turning to macadamia, Mukunji accused the Ministry of Agriculture of harming farmers by maintaining a ban on selling macadamia in shells. He argued that lifting the ban would create a competitive market among international buyers and local processors, ultimately securing better prices for farmers.
Macadamia marketing season
With the macadamia marketing season set to open on February 15, he urged Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe to issue a circular permitting in-shell sales.
Mukunji warned that without this intervention, farmers could be forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices, as low as Sh. 30 per kilo, due to regulations he claims protect local companies at the expense of growers.
On broader coffee policy, the MP called for a more tailored approach to fertiliser distribution, stating that different coffee-growing regions have specific needs. He suggested that farmers in Embu, for instance, would benefit more from fertilisers like dolomite lime, which may not be required elsewhere.
Mukunji also directed criticism at the Embu County government, urging it to address local coffee prices to prevent farmers from hawking their produce in neighbouring Kirinyaga County. He advised county officials to learn from Kirinyaga’s approach to make coffee farming more profitable for local growers.
The remarks underscore growing tension between agricultural stakeholders and the administration over the pace and focus of sectoral reforms.