The Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) is under fresh scrutiny as tea farmers intensify calls for the government to take action against officials accused of mismanaging their money.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, the farmers urged lawmakers to ensure the full implementation of the audit report released by the Tea Board of Kenya.
Their plea comes as the committee begins investigating Kenya’s tea pricing system, following stark disparities in bonus payments between farmers in the eastern and western regions of the Rift Valley.
Earlier, two delegations from the committee toured several factories in both zones to understand why some farmers receive significantly higher bonuses than others.
Committee chairperson and Tigania West MP, John Mutunga, during a visit to the Motigo Tea Factory in Bomet County, said KTDA needed a complete overhaul. He argued that the agency’s governance structure has contributed to the frustrations farmers are facing.
Lawmakers also noted that KTDA’s representation model remains unequal—leaving many farmers in the western Rift Valley feeling sidelined.
Farmers echoed those concerns, accusing KTDA directors of mismanaging resources, as highlighted in the Tea Board audit.
“The audit shows how our directors mishandled our money. They made decisions without involving us and even bought land without our knowledge. Millions have gone to unnecessary allowances. We want investigations and arrests,” said Josiah Kerich, a farmer.
Others raised alarm over rising production costs and diminishing bonuses, saying the situation has pushed many families into financial distress.
“We rely entirely on tea. Receiving a bonus of only 13 shillings is heartbreaking. How do we pay school fees or buy food?” lamented farmer Zeddy Mausa.
Despite the growing frustrations, Mutunga assured farmers that the committee is working to find long-term solutions to the low bonus payouts.
“We know farmers are unhappy. We have seen the quality of tea you produce. Our task is to understand why the bonuses vary and to come up with fair, sustainable solutions,” he said.
Kapkoros Group of Companies chairperson, Robert Rono, urged the government to fast-track the implementation of the 2023 Management Services Agreement between factory companies and KTDA Management Services Ltd.
He added that weak regulation and unfair competition from private processors have worsened the sector’s challenges, insisting that enforcement of tea regulations must be applied evenly.
