Tea farmers from Meru's Imenti region have pleaded with President William Ruto's administration to remove punitive tea taxes.
The farmers joined tea factory managers and other stakeholders in asking the national government to remove the 0.8 per cent export levy on tea, whose implementation three months ago they termed oppressive.
Githongo Tea Factory Board Chairman Earnest Karagania and lawyer-cum farmer Earnest Kimaita joined farmers in blaming MPs for the passage of the punitive taxes, and called for amendments to rescue farmers from oppressive taxation.
Mr Kimaita, a lawyer specialising in taxation and commercial law and also a farmer, heaped the blame on MPs who failed to protect farmers from being overtaxed.
"The tea factories and farmers are against this (0.8 per cent export) levy. But none of the MPs, even from Meru, have bothered to respond to the issue," Mr Kimaita said.
He said sales of Kenyan tea at the Mombasa auction had dropped as a result of the new levy, leading to reduced incomes for growers and others along the value chain.
"It is the farmers who have to bear the loss," Kimaita said.
Kimaita pointed to over 40 taxes and levies associated with tea farming, saying they had increased the cost of production and compromised the productivity and profitability of the venture.
"The tea sector has about 44 taxes or levies. We need to be fair to our farmers and repeal some of the provisions set by parliament," he added.
The charges include corporate tax (30 per cent of profits), tea buyers' license fee, tea exporters' license fee, tea packers' license, county government produce and licenses, fuel movement permit, county branding and signage advertisement fee and Kenya Ports Authority handling charges.
Mr Karagania, speaking after a farmers' meeting to deliberate on the issue, said members affiliated to Githongo factory were unanimous in their rejection of the 0.8 per cent levy and other taxes that he said disadvantaged both the factories and farmers.
"It is not just about the 0.8 per cent levy only. Many other taxes have been imposed. The cost of production is so high," Karagania said.
He revealed that the factory was burdened by electricity, diesel and other operational costs.
"We are major consumers of diesel. Our MPs must wake up. They must be serious," he said.
Karagania praised Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who urged the South Sudan government to reopen its market to Kenyan tea.
"It was the best market for our tea, but it was closed," he said.
Michael Koome, a farmer, joined his colleagues in urging the President Ruto administration to intervene in support of farmers.
"Ruto must be told that it is us, the farmers who voted for him, and from this public participation at Githongo, we are telling him the taxes must be removed by the end of this year, if he wants our votes," Mr Koome said.
His sentiments were echoed by Julia Gituma and Kirimi Muthamia.
"We want the taxes to be reduced. We respect the president, but farmers have been oppressed by these taxes," Ms Gituma said.
