Agriculture Ministry steps in to resolve Kapkoros Tea Factory dispute

The Ministry of Agriculture has instructed tea farmers at Kapkoros Tea Group and its affiliated factories, including Tirgaga, Motigo, and Olenguruone, to open new accounts as part of a decisive action aimed at addressing the ongoing dispute between the factories.

This directive follows a move by the farmers to stop plucking and supplying green leaf to the Motigo and Olenguruone factories.

They are calling for financial and operational autonomy from the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).

The farmers expressed dissatisfaction with the current system, stating that their earnings and bonuses should reflect the performance of their respective factories rather than being consolidated under Kapkoros.

The dispute resulted in significant losses, with thousands of kilos of tea being wasted and operations at the affected factories being disrupted. This led to government intervention to address the situation.

Following a meeting between Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, Principal Secretary Kipronoh Ronoh, and stakeholders from the tea factories, the government has ordered the immediate separation of Motigo's accounts, as had been previously requested by the farmers.

This directive from the Ministry comes in response to a court case filed by three farmers—Erick Tonui, Kiprono Langat, and Anthony Kipyegon Ngetich—who sought to prevent the separation of Kapkoros Tea Factory and its satellite factories.

The farmers argued that the decision to separate the accounts was made without due process, overlooking earlier resolutions that had suspended such a move.

Although the court had issued an injunction to stop the split, the Ministry’s directive now ensures that the separation will proceed as planned.

The Ministry has instructed the farmers to withdraw their case from court and cease any hostilities among themselves.

They have also been urged to avoid any actions that could disrupt the normal operations or management of the affected tea factories.

Additionally, the directors of the factories have been directed to collaborate on the details of the separation process, ensuring fairness and equity throughout, so that the farmers feel comfortable with the outcome.

''That the directors agree on the modalities of separation, take due cognisance of all the issues obtaining, and exercise fairness in the discharge of their responsibilities,'' the statement by the CS read in part.

The ministry has reaffirmed its directive to prohibit any form of tea hawking, stating that any factories caught engaging in hawking will be immediately delisted.

This move is aimed at putting an end to the hostile practices affecting tea farmers.

Farmers from Motigo and Olenguruone have been instructed to promptly resume plucking and delivering green leaves to their respective factories.