Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that some individuals, whom he described as ‘coffee cartels’ attempted to bribe Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi with Ksh30 million.
Speaking on Sunday, October 1 during a church fundraiser in Kaelo, Meru County, Gachagua revealed the cartels’ sinister agenda.
Moreover, the Deputy President revealed that the cartels’ aim is to sabotage the government’s efforts to revive the coffee sector in the country.
“They approached Linturi to bribe him with a hefty Ksh30 million,” said Gachagua.
The deputy president did not stop there, bravely recounting how the same cartels had approached him with a tempting proposition – a promise of Ksh2.00 per kilogram to halt the ongoing reforms in the coffee sector.
Unflinchingly, he too showed them the door, making it abundantly clear that their devious schemes held no power over him.
“The coffee reforms we have started cannot stop. They are trying to form an artificial crisis, but we are telling the farmers to be patient,” added Gachagua.
Also Read: Kikuyu Elders Consecrate New Cultural Center in Nairobi
Gachagua on streamlining the coffee sector
Gachagua declared that the cartels, now bereft of options, are inching closer to defeat.
He outlined an ambitious timeline of 3 to 4 weeks to fully overhaul the sector, emphasizing the readiness of the government to achieve this target.
Moreover, he stated that recent developments in the international market, including his visit to Colombia, indicate a promising future for the sector.
Gachagua also added that the sector would see stakeholders from the USA jet into the country, with an aim of facilitating direct sales for farmers, bypassing brokers.
However, he expressed frustration at certain media outlets, accusing them of conspiring with the cartels to tarnish his reputation.
He disagreed with recent performance rate polls that rated him a D+ and assured the farmers that the government’s reforms would continue unabated.
The deputy president acknowledged the long-standing struggle against the cartels, stating, “It is hard snatching meat out of a lion’s grip, the journey to liberate the coffee farmer is a difficult one, but it will be done.”
Nevertheless, he reiterated the government’s commitment to liberate the coffee farming sector from the clutches of these entrenched cartels.
Gachagua also reminisced about his last visit during the previous campaigns, where they faced organized chaos and violence from rivals but persevered.
The Deputy President raised concerns about criminal activities and banditry in the area, pledging government support.
He stated that the government would deal with the issues just the way they dealt with rustling in the North Rift area.
The former Mathira MP assured the residents that normalcy would be restored with the addition of NPR officers in the area.
Also Read: Divided Cabinet: Moses Kuria, Linturi Lock Horns Over Tour
In his closing remarks, Gachagua took a swipe at the media while congratulating Linturi for his commendable work in the tea farming sector and fertilizer distribution.
He also emphasized that miraa is not a drug but a vital cash crop, adding that he is planning to hold a miraa conference with the farmers to produce reforms that will boost the sector.
“We want to tell NACADA that Miraa is not a drug, it is just a cash crop like any other,” added Gachagua
