Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Peter Munya has said the government will not allow cartels and unscrupulous players in the tea sector to derail implementation of new regulations.
On Friday Munya accompanied by Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria said he is aware that some people want to scuttle the process of bringing new changes in the tea sector since they don’t want farmers to get full benefits from their crops.
He said all measures will be employed to ensure the new regulations in the tea sector are put in place and farmers who for long have been exploited get full control of their cash crop.
The CS said the due process was followed to enact the new laws that will govern the tea sector, saying tea belongs to farmers and they have absolute rights to dictate how their crop be managed.
“We cannot continue derailing the implementation of the new regulations as farmers are eagerly waiting to get maximum benefits of the new laws. Those fighting the regulations are the people who exploit farmers and live a better life when farmers languish in poverty,” he added.
He continued, “Farmers should also support the government in its effort of bringing the new changes. When these cartels try to use courts to thwart the implementation of the new regulations, farmers also move to court and support the new changes.”
On his part Governor Wa Iria said the president should issue an executive order on implementation of the tea regulations.
Wa Iria said some people are just using the legal suits to derail the regulations until the president completes his term.
“We are aware that some people want to use courts to fight the new regulations and we will not allow that as the regulations are there to benefit our farmers who for long will have been exploited by cartels who have rocked the sector,” he added.
The governor said the county is a major producer of tea and farmers have been yearning to get maximum profits from their cash crops.
Munya was in Murang’a to collect views on proposed laws on coffee where he visited various coffee factories within Kangema and Mathioya sub counties.
The governor said he will continue to support the proposed reforms in the agricultural sector, saying the majority of residents in Mount Kenya region depend on agriculture.
On coffee, Wa Iria said all cooperative societies need to be audited by the office of Auditor General, saying the societies are public entities and sometimes got funds from the government.
“In coffee sector, what is needed is just to do away with officials of the coffee societies who for long have been swindling farmers’ money and also ensure the facilities are audited by an independent body and not the auditors of the cooperatives,” he added.
By: Bernard Munyao
