State vows to continue with tea reforms

The Cabinet has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protect gains made in the tea industry.

In a meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House on Tuesday, the Cabinet assured that the Kenya Kwanza administration would not rescind reforms made by the previous administration, including any interference with Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) leadership.

“Cabinet reaffirmed that the administration will not revert reforms made by the previous administration aimed at strengthening the good governance of the tea sector,” a statement released by the Cabinet stated. 

The assurance comes after alleged attempts by former KTDA Holdings Ltd board to takeover operations at the agency headquarters and its affiliate factories countrywide

 It further reviewed the scope of the subsidy programme so as to include fertiliser for tea farmers under KTDA.

 Meeting further approved a framework to facilitate local manufactures who wish to set up blending companies in the country. 

Cabinet’s statement is a big blow to former KTDA directors, led by Peter Kanyago, who attempted to takeover operations at the agency.

Directors were said to have the support from political leaders in the government, who have interest in the tea sector but were locked out following the implementation of the new reforms.

Equally, KTDA legal team, headed by lawyer Patrick Ngunjiri have vowed to protect and safeguard the gains made  in the sector.

“Reports that former directors will be taking over the factories are without legal backing and should be treated with the contempt they deserve,” Ngunjiri said.

A senior KTDA official, who sought anonymity confirmed that previous administrators unsuccessfully used old court orders to gain access to their offices.

The Kanyago team gained access to the agency’s head offices in Nairobi after introducing themselves as staff of Ketepa, one of KTDA subsidiaries located in Kericho.

KTDA directors from various factories in Murang’a have maintained that they will not allow the ousted directors to take over leadership of the factories.

Directors, led by their spokesman Chege Kitundu, said they are the ones legally in charge despite the attempted takeover by the former directors.

 Kirundi said the former directors want to sabotage their work, pointing out that already they have initiated several changes that have benefited farmers.

 “We won’t give room for the directors to wash down the gains made so far after the new board took over the management of KTDA,” Kirundi said.

 Kirundi, the Kiru tea factory chairman, said the former directors are only fighting back for their own interests.

 “They had messed up the sector and are now fighting to get their way back to office so that they can continue squandering farmers’ money,” he added.

 “Their move to storm KTDA headquarters was uncalled for and they should come clean what their agenda is,” he remarked.

 Kirundi said none of these directors should be allowed into the factories as they do not have any right to access the facilities.

Another director

 “We are elected in as part of the reforms in the sector and we have been doing our work diligently,” he said.

 Ngaai Kari, another director, urged the farmers to remain calm as the matter is being resolved.

 In Kisii, two directors affiliated to various KTDA factories have downplayed a move by former directors to take over the governance of the factories.

Ogembo and Eberege board Chairman, Omweno Ombasa and Nyamache/ Itumbe tea factories director, Job Ndarera said the former directors visited the factories as farmers and shareholders and not directors.

Ombasa said farmers elected their directors in April, 2021 and the former directors attended the elections.

“We were elected in broad daylight. They are part of us and came to the factories as farmers,” Ombasa told People Daily yesterday. 

Ndarera expressed similar sentiments, saying he had gone to Nyamache tea factory as farmers and not directors, emphasising that the directors who were elected last year are known, warning that they cannot allow strangers to purport to be directors.

Senior managers

“The former directors who went to the factory wanted to know its progress since they left. It is us who have tools and are mandated to serve farmers’ interests,” Ndarera said.

He said he will not hesitate to call the police if they go to the factories to harass the management, saying the elected directors are in charge and want to ensure that farmers get value for their produce.

Addressing the media on Monday afternoon, board vice-chair Wesley Koech said the former directors deceived security guards at the reception and thus allowed them to enter the building.

They went straight to the company’s boardroom where they claimed to have taken over the operations of the company.

 He said the former managers’ intentions were to appoint an acting chief executive officer and some senior managers as a show of being in full control of the entire company operations.

“Members of the former board of KTDA Holdings Ltd, which was replaced last year, trespassed into the boardroom at KTDA Farmers Building, led by Peter Kanyago who was the former board chair, in a bid to take over operations.

“We wish to condemn this act as illegal, and contravenes several court orders as provided in the two consolidated tea petitions that are currently pending before a three-judge Bench at the High Court,” Koech said.

Additional reporting by Wangari Njuguna and Robert Ochoro