National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called on farmers across the country to take charge and remove rogue officials from cooperative societies who he said are swindling members’ hard-earned investments through fraud and embezzlement.
Speaking on Sunday at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County, where he joined congregants for a Sunday Mass service, Wetang’ula urged farmers and Sacco members not to tolerate unethical practices in the management of their societies.
“We must remove corrupt officials from our cooperative societies who have made it a habit of stealing from the sweat of our farmers,” Wetang’ula declared.
“Allowing a few individuals to mismanage funds and swindle producers undermines the very foundation of the agricultural sector. It is time to stand firm and reclaim what belongs to farmers.”
The Speaker cited examples from Bungoma County, particularly Mount Elgon and Kimilili, where coffee farming remains a key source of income, yet farmers continue to suffer losses due to mismanagement and theft by unscrupulous cooperative officials.
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“When President William Ruto assumed office in 2022, the price of coffee per kilo was just Sh50,” he noted. “If you look at central Kenya, where cooperatives are well managed, farmers get better returns for their crops. That is the direction we must take; building cooperatives founded on good governance so that our farmers can earn what they truly deserve.”
The speaker noted that that the strength of the cooperative movement has historically come from empowering rural producers and ensuring fair market access.
He warned that corruption erodes this trust and undermines the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
“It is unacceptable to see a chairman of a coffee factory who owns just a small plantation end up as the highest-paid member, while farmers who work tirelessly day and night get paid peanuts. This must stop,” he said.
The Speaker pointed out that the Kenya Kwanza government has helped raise the price of coffee per kilogram to Ksh 160.
He added that the government is also distributing free coffee seedlings that mature within 15 months, allowing farmers to start harvesting sooner.
“Research has been conducted to support research-driven farming, which we intend to embrace here in Bungoma,” he stated.
“Regardless of the size of your land, I encourage all our people to plant coffee seedlings. In the near future, you and your families will reap significant benefits.”
Wetang’ula further urged farmers’ associations, cooperative boards, and county agricultural officers to carry out regular audits, hold membership meetings, and pursue legal action against officials found guilty of misappropriation.
He cautioned that ignoring such malpractice could expose boards to legal consequences and erode public trust in the cooperative sector.
His remarks come against the backdrop of growing concerns over mismanagement in several Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (Saccos) in recent years, with allegations ranging from asset misappropriation to insider dealings.
Wetang’ula however insisted that cooperatives are meant to remain farmer-owned enterprises, managed transparently by member-elected leaders.
He urged farmers not to be intimidated by powerful individuals but to demand accountability and justice.
