Bomet County yet to heed Uhuru’s tea bonus order
Farmers delivering tea at a buying centre. A directive issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta for small-scale farmers to be paid tea bonuses is yet to be heeded in Bomet County. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The President had made the order following a crisis meeting with stakeholders in the tea sector in June.
- A Mogogosiek factory director said that they did not have money to pay farmers.
- He said they would wait for the Mombasa auction to get better so that they can pay farmers.
A presidential directive issued in June 2014 requiring factories to pay small-scale tea farmers bonuses is yet to be honoured in Bomet County.
The factories have not communicated to the Kenya Union of Small Scale Tea Owners (Kussto), according to the organisation’s Bomet chairman, Mr Joel Chepkwony.
Mr Chepkwony said the union had tried all means to push the directors to address the issue.
However, a Mogogosiek factory director who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said that the factory did not have money to pay farmers.
“We had thought of taking a loan, but it is the same farmers who will pay it back with interest.
“We will wait for the prices at the Mombasa auction to get better so we can pay them,” he said.
The President had made the order following a crisis meeting with stakeholders in the tea sector in June.
