Senator Okenyuri: The Sweat and Toil Among Gusii Tea Farmers Is Not Being Fairly Rewarded

BY ERIC ABUGA

Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri says Tea farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties are being unfairly disadvantaged compared to their counterparts in other regions.

She cautioned that inequities in bonus payments risk destabilising Kenya’s tea sector, which remains one of the country’s leading foreign exchange earners and supports millions of families.

She has raised concern over glaring disparities in tea bonus payments with farmers from some regions reaping substantial bonuses while those in Gusii reaping very meagre bonuses per kg of same tea, triggering disillusionment amongst the farmers. 

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Sen. Okenyuri revealed that while farmers in Mt. Kenya are receiving bonuses averaging Sh 50 per kilo, those in Kisii and Nyamira are earning as little as Sh 12 per kilo.

“This glaring disparity has caused deep frustration and triggered anger among farmers who feel shortchanged and discriminated against despite producing tea that is sold in the same international markets."

The Kenya Tea Development Agency recently released the bonus rates for the financial year 2024/2025. 
It is against this backdrop that pursuant to Standing Order 52(1), the Senator made a statement on the disparities of bonus rates paid to tea farmers across the country.

She emphasized; “The bonus discrepancies have left many farmers disillusioned, believing their sweat and toil is not being fairly rewarded. This is a matter of transparency and fairness."

The Senator warned that the situation has escalated into unrest, with enraged farmers in the two counties reportedly destroying tea collection centres in protest. She noted that the discrepancies have also reignited questions about KTDA’s pricing and distribution systems, and whether smallholder farmers in certain regions are being systematically disadvantaged.

Ms Okenyuri called on the government, in collaboration with KTDA and other stakeholders, to urgently review the disparities and take decisive measures to restore fairness, equity, and confidence among farmers in Kisii, Nyamira, and other affected regions.

"It is important to note that tea remains to be one of Kenya's leading foreign exchange earners and is equally a livelihood for many Kenyans. The increased sense of inequity would destabilize this key sector if interventions are not put in place. KTDA must restore confidence of farmers in Kisii ,Nyamira and all other affected regions."