National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has issued a strong call to farmers to weed out corrupt officials from cooperative societies, warning that graft within agricultural SACCOs is fast eroding the backbone of the farming sector.
Speaking on Sunday, July 27, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County, Wetang’ula criticized the rampant mismanagement of funds in farming cooperatives and urged producers to reclaim accountability. “We must remove corrupt officials from our cooperative societies who have made it a habit of stealing from the sweat of our farmers,” he declared.
His remarks come amid growing concerns in Bungoma, where coffee farmers in Mount Elgon and Kimilili continue to suffer financial losses despite rising market prices.
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“It is unacceptable to see a chairman of a coffee factory who owns just a small plantation end up as the highest-paid member, while farmers who work tirelessly day and night get paid peanuts. This must stop,” Wetang’ula said.
According to recent data from the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE), prices for clean coffee rose by three percent in March 2025, reaching Ksh1,184 per kilogram, with Premium AA and AB Grades making up 71 percent of traded volume. However, farmers say the gains are not trickling down due to internal fraud and opaque management structures.
Wetang’ula stressed that corruption not only hinders farmers’ earnings but also risks attracting legal repercussions for cooperative boards. “Allowing a few individuals to swindle producers undermines the very foundation of the agricultural sector. It is time to stand firm and reclaim what belongs to farmers.”
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A recent report revealed that 58 SACCOs are on the brink of losing assets through auction after defaulting on loans totaling Ksh1.36 billion. The institutions had secured loans from the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (KUSCCO) using deposits valued at only Ksh368.39 million, leaving a shortfall of nearly Ksh987.86 million.
Wetang’ula encouraged farmers to take ownership of their institutions by demanding transparency and actively participating in governance. “Let us speak with one voice against theft disguised as leadership.”
By Masaki Enock
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