The Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) is facing criticism as tea farmers have called on the government to apprehend those responsible for mismanaging their funds.
In their testimony to the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, the farmers also requested that the government implement the audit report conducted by the Tea Board of Kenya.
This request was made as the committee began an inquiry into tea pricing in Kenya, due to significant differences in bonus payments between farmers in the eastern and western parts of the Rift Valley.
Two delegations from the committee visited various tea factories in both regions to investigate the reasons for the variation in tea bonus payouts.
The committee's chairperson, John Mutunga, who represents Tigania West, visited the Motigo Tea Factory in Bomet County, where he called for the complete restructuring of the KTDA, saying that it has played a significant role in the farmers' challenges.
The lawmakers argued that KTDA representation is unfair, leaving most farmers in western Rift Valley without proper representation.
Farmers also accused the directors of misconduct and misuse of funds, citing the Tea Board of Kenya audit.
"The audit report shows how our directors misused our money. They made decisions without our involvement and bought land without our consent. Millions have been lost through unnecessary allowances. We want investigations and apprehends," said Josiah Kerich, a farmer.
Farmers also complained about rising production costs and poor bonus payments, stating that these problems have resulted in financial hardship.
“We only depend on tea. Being paid a bonus of 13 Kenyan shillings is painful. We can't pay school fees or buy food," said Zeddy Mausa.
However, Mutunga assured farmers that the committee is working on finding long-term solutions to the poor bonus payments.
"We know farmers are not happy. We have seen the quality of tea produced here. Our goal is to understand why the bonus payments differ and to find solutions that work for all farmers," he said.
Robert Rono, the chairperson of the Kapkoros Group of Companies, urged the government to implement the 2023 Management Services Agreement between factory companies and KTDA Management Services Ltd.
Rono added that regulatory failure and unfair competition from private processors have worsened the situation, arguing that tea regulations are not equally enforced.
