Drama unfolded in Murang’a County on Thursday as Kangunu Coffee and Dairy Society farmers in Mathioya clashed with police after their Annual General Meeting (AGM) turned chaotic.
The chaos erupted on Thursday, September 12, following disagreements between the farmers and the Society’s management which allegedly arose during the meeting.
Police were deployed at the scene to contain the irate farmers who engaged them in running battles.
Videos seen by The Kenya Times showed police officers, some in anti-riot gear, lobbing teargas towards the farmers in a bid to disperse them. Also, some farmers threw stones towards the police.
“We want this society to be closed until we are told when to hold our next election,” said Edward Githuo, a farmer as he called on Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to intervene.
Another famer while calling upon DP Gachagua, President William Ruto and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya to intervene, said that the society’s members lack confidence with the area’s administration officers.
Also Read: Moses Kuria Announces Day Coffee Farmers Will Receive Ksh 6.8 Billion Debt Waiver
“Rigathi Gachagua, our President William Ruto, and Oparanya we have no confidence with the provincial administration that we have here. We don’t have confidence with the DCC because this meeting was convened in his office,” lamented a farmer.
Kangunu Coffee and Dairy Society farmers in Murang’a Protest
Lemiso Maina said that the farmers staged protests following another demonstration three weeks ago when the farmers were directed by the management to attend today’s meeting to iron out their issues.
Also Read: Roads Closed, Buildings on Fire as Protests Break Out in Nairobi
Maina claimed that the people who turned up for the meeting were not actual farmers, adding that they were ferried from elsewhere which made the farmers to demonstrate.
Joseph Munga, another coffee farmer lamented that the problem faced by the Kangunu Coffee and Dairy Society members is illegal deductions of their proceeds.
“Every member whenever we are being paid for our coffee parchment, the management of Kangunu Society has been deducting us 5% illegally. This 5% deduction has been happening for all members,” said Munga.
He also called upon CS Oparanya and the national government to come to farmers’ aid, saying that the Society members are now helpless.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
