Top managers at the Coffee Society of Kenyan have been put on notice by Agriculture CS Peter Munya for allegedly frustrating farmers' efforts.
Speaking during a public participation forum at Nkubu stadium, Meru, on Saturday, February 27, Munya warned the leadership that he would be firing them in the next two weeks.
Munya accused the leaders of sabotaging the Cherry Advance application aimed at empowering farmers to enhance their coffee production.
The CS noted that the managers had frustrated the fund meant for farmers in favour of advances provided by private millers.
"I urge farmers to apply for the Coffee Cherry Advance and present the forms to their societies.
"I have given the coffee society officials two weeks to sign the forms failure to which we will dissolve the committees and have farmers elect new teams," threatened Munya according to Daily Nation.
A study by the University of Nairobi found that Murang'a County alone had over 35 Coffee cooperatives operating under Murang’a Farmers’ Cooperative Union.
Several other regions producing the export including Kirinyaga, Meru and Rift Valley have registered various cooperatives.
The threat to fire managers comes barely two weeks after the County Government of Nyeri, in association with the Department of Cooperatives, fired the management of Rumukia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society.
The five-member team was sent home after it was established that they participated in financial misappropriation.
The management was replace by a fresh team in mid-February which was expected to run the society for a period of three months.
The team was ousted over Ksh60 million which was taken years ago and has since ballooned to Ksh163 million including interest.
