From Rono..Facebook
**Tea farmers deserve truth, transparency, and fair pay**
During a recent address, PS Paul Rono pointed fingers at tea factory directors, blaming them for the heavy loans affecting farmers’ earnings. According to him, audits revealed shocking findings—money that should go directly into farmers’ pockets is instead servicing loans. He even proposed that payments from the Mombasa Tea Auction go directly to farmers, but directors reportedly rejected the proposal, insisting the money must first go to Nairobi to service debts before the little remainder reaches farmers.
However, when I sought clarification from my director, I received a different explanation. He said the loans were taken to pay farmers’ second payment (bonus) during the time of the reserved price policy. Because tea could not fetch the expected price under that policy, large volumes accumulated at the auction. When the reserved price was abruptly lifted, the tea was sold at a throwaway price, leading to losses and making it difficult to service the loans.
At the same time, the Tea Board of Kenya also raised serious questions. In a letter to the chairman of Kapkoros Group of Companies Mr, Robert kipngeno Rono,TBK demanded explanations on several issues, including:
🫵🏼The amount of loans borrowed by factories
🫵🏼How the loan proceeds were utilized
🫵🏼Loan terms and remaining balances
🫵🏼Rising production and transport costs
🫵🏼The purchase of Olulunga land including 169 meetings in one year resulting to a waste of farmers money,
These questions remain critical for farmers.
As farmers, we also remember that our earnings were deducted to raise funds for projects like Motigo and Kamogoso satellites, only to later be told that loans were still taken to complete them.
We were also informed that Ksh 162 million was borrowed to purchase Olulunga land, yet many farmers have never seen the documentation.
Even more concerning, the government allocated Ksh 5.5 billion for a hydropower project across seven regions, while farmers under Kapkoros contributed Ksh 350 million for the same project. To date, farmers are asking: Where is the project? Where is the money?
Farmers are not enemies of development. But we carry the burden of these deductions and debts. We deserve answers, transparency, and accountability.
Enough of the movie-like approach where farmers are kept in the dark.
The time has come for honesty—because the sweat of farmers should never be turned into a mystery.
#TeaFarmers #Accountability #FairPayForFarmers
Topic: Tea sector ruined by politics (Read 66 times)