Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday, February 29 declared war against individuals hawking tea leaves.
Speaking at the Tea House in Nairobi during the release of the Tea Industry Performance Report, 2023, Gachagua highlighted the urgency of addressing the issue of tea leaf hawking and instructed government administrators to collaborate closely with the Tea Board of Kenya to apprehend and prosecute those involved in this illegal practice.
In addition to cracking down on tea leaf hawkers, Gachagua has been actively advocating for the resolution of legal disputes that are impeding tea sector reforms.
He has called for the cessation of court cases that are obstructing progress in the sector.
At the same time, the DP emphasized the critical need for these reforms to enhance farmer earnings and elevate the overall performance of the industry.
“Court cases have frustrated reforms in the subsector. I call upon stakeholders who genuinely mean well to withdraw the cases and allow these reforms to be implemented fully for the benefit of the Kenyan farmer,” said Gachagua.
Advocating for tea reforms
Gachagua specifically mentioned that individuals affiliated with the Kenya Tea Development Agency should refrain from running for elections for factories’ Board of Directors if they have filed cases against the agency.
He condemned the practice of using farmers’ earnings to finance legal battles, labeling it as unethical and harmful to the farming community.
“People who are greedy for power have taken farmers to court and their lawyers are being paid from farmers’ earnings. It is not right. It is unethical and immoral.”
Also read: Gachagua Threatens Teachers with Firing for Defying Govt Order
“You cannot say you mean well for the farmer, yet you take the farmer to court and use their earnings to sustain the case against them,” he said.
Additionally, the Deputy President assured government support during the upcoming directors’ elections and urged farmers to elect directors who will advocate for their interests.
He also pointed out a significant increase in tea exports in 2023, attributing this growth to favorable weather conditions and government initiatives such as providing subsidized fertilizers to farmers.
Gachagua on Strengthening Regulatory Oversight
Furthermore, Gachagua underscored the role played by regulatory bodies like the Tea Board of Kenya in ensuring stability within the subsector.
Gachagua stressed the necessity of separate regulatory bodies for the tea and coffee sectors to improve their efficiency and economic impact.
Also read: Gachagua Reveals Why Govt Wont Donate Food to Specific County
“The reestablishment of the Tea Board of Kenya as a regulatory authority to oversee the sub-sector has restored it. We are also re-establishing the Coffee Board of Kenya.”
“These sectors are important to our economy. They should stand on their own. It was a wrong policy to collapse the sectors under one umbrella body,” he emphasized.
Also, he reiterated his commitment to promoting orthodox tea production to capitalize on its higher market value.
