Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Kiprono Rono has ordered investigations into suspected fraud and registration of suspicious companies in the name of Micii Mikuru Tea Factory in Meru County.
This follows claims of concerns of misappropriation of funds by the management.
This follows protests by farmers after the management declared a bonus payout of Sh. 35 per kilo which was a decline from Sh. 47 last year.
Dr. Rono also ordered KTDA Directors at the factory to keep off the factory premises to pave way for DCI investigations into fraudulent activities reported by local farmers.
The PS spoke in Meru when he toured Micii Mikuru and Githongo Tea factories to address grievances raised by local farmers touching on a number of governance related issues affecting tea farmers.
“The Kenya Tea Development Authority must refund farmers all the monies deducted from their pay for fertilizers and other inputs. The government has provided subsidized fertilizers to support small holder famers in the sector,” the PS said.
Dr. Rono ordered the local DCI to probe criminal activities by various cartels targeting farmers by falsifying weight and illegal calibration with the intention of stealing from farmers.
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He further announced that his office will next week dispatch a team of experts to also join in the investigations in order to close in on conmen and cartels defrauding the Meru Tea farmers.
The PS reiterated government commitment to turn around the tea sector and urged local farmers to increase production saying ground is being cleared to make tea farming lucrative.
By John Majau.
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