Coffee farmers demonstrate delay by cooperative to pay them

Hundreds of coffee farmers from Central Ngandori Co-operative Society yesterday continued with their protest against delayed payment.

The Embu North sub-county farmers held their third demonstration in a week, demanding to be paid for coffee they delivered last year.

The farmers, who carried coffee bushes heavy with unripe berries, marched through Manyatta town before storming Deputy County Commissioner Muzne Abdulatif's office to present their grievances.

The sacco with over 3,000 members from Kiria, Mwiria and Karuriii factories is reportedly yet to pay the farmers their dues even after it sold the first batch of coffee at the auction in February.

They claimed the delay was a ploy by the sacco management to steal their money.

Harrison Mbaka, their spokesman, said the management was yet to declare their rates while other co-operatives had already paid their members between Sh73 and Sh103 per kilo.

Week's time

"Last week, we met the committee members who promised to release the money in a week's time. They have not done so and have even gone into hiding. We are calling for the dissolution of the committee," said Mr Mbaka.

Area OCPD Mark Wanjala corroborated Mbaka's claim.

And Eric Kariuki, a farmer, said this was not the first time they were being exploited.

Mr Kariuki said he had received information from some committee members that some parchment was sold in February.

"Once coffee is sold at the central auction, the co-operative should get the payment cheque after 14 days," he said.

"The management have broken the law regarding coffee payment. We want the Government  to act."