Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri has raised alarm over what she termed as glaring disparities in tea bonus payments, accusing industry stakeholders of unfairly disadvantaging farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate Okenyuri said that while tea growers in Mt. Kenya region are receiving bonus payments averaging Ksh 50 per kilo, farmers in Kisii and Nyamira are earning as little as Ksh 12 per kilo, despite producing tea for the same international markets.
The Kenya Tea Development Agency had recently released the bonus rates for the financial year 2024/2025 which indicated the disparities.
“This glaring disparity has caused deep frustration and triggered anger among farmers who feel shortchanged and discriminated against, their tea ends up in the same markets, yet their earnings are drastically lower,” said the Senator.
Okenyuri warned that the situation has already sparked unrest, with reports of farmers destroying tea collection centres in protest. She said the bonus discrepancies have not only discouraged tea production but also raised serious concerns about the transparency of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) and its pricing structures.
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“The bonus discrepancies have left many farmers disillusioned, believing their sweat and toil is not being fairly rewarded, this is no longer just an economic issue it is about fairness and equity,” she added.
The Senator cautioned that unless urgent steps are taken, the inequities risk destabilising the tea sector, which remains one of Kenya’s leading foreign exchange earners and a critical source of livelihood for millions of smallholder farmers.
She called on the government, KTDA, and other relevant stakeholders to urgently investigate and address the disparities, and to establish a fairer and more transparent system for distributing tea earnings across all regions.
“We must restore trust and ensure that no farmer feels left behind, It is the responsibility of both the government and KTDA to guarantee that every tea grower, regardless of their location, is treated with fairness,” she said.
The issue comes at a time when Kenya’s tea industry faces increasing scrutiny over governance and farmer payouts.
By Obegi Malack
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