Kenya: Farmers Protest Against Poor Running of Coffee Society

A section of Rui-Ruiru coffee farmers in Mathira staged a protest over poor payment rates and embezzlement of funds by the management.

The farmers were angry that they received Sh34 as gross payment of their produce instead of Sh54 promised by the marketer.

In the protest that lasted two hours, the growers demanded answers for why Sh20 was deducted from their net pay.

They also said the persistent coffee theft in Mathira North Coffee Society was affecting their economic progress.

This was after 209 bags of P1 coffee, worth more than Sh 4 million, was moved to their headquarters in Kimariaga factory (one of the society's factory) for security reasons.

The coffee was stolen four days later.

"We received one million from our insurer yet they told us the stolen coffee had been fully compensated," said James Muriuki, a farmer.

A clause recommended by the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Willy Bett stresses that the cooperative growers' movement permit to millers be restricted within the nearest miller.

"We sell our coffee directly to the miller with a coffee movement permit from Coffee Board of Kenya. They bypassed the law by illegally moving the parchment to another factory. They facilitated the theft," added Mr Muriuki.

The factory produced more than 250, 000 kilogrammes of cherry from about 500 farmers.

Rui-Ruiru is among other four factories that deliver their coffee to Mathira North Coffee Society.

Another farmer, Francis Wang'ombe, said that devolution has hindered an increase in their payment.

"Since we welcomed the devolved unit we have not been paid anything beyond Sh34," he said, adding that they were paid Sh24 last year.

Ms Winrose Chaki - a farmer - recommended that a break away would be beneficial to the planters.

"We want to split ourselves from the rest of the factories where we can have our own miller and marketer," she said.

The farmers later denied the management access to the parchment store until it is dissolved.