Senator Cheruiyot blames Uhuru and Ruto for tea farmers’ woes

DP William Ruto with Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot. Cheruiyot has blamed the government for the ongoing woes bedeviling tea sector. [DPPS]

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has accused President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto of turning their backs on tea growers.

Senator Cheruiyot who is the chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus of Tea Growing Zones at the Senate, told mourners in Nyamira on Sunday that Uhuru and Ruto had commissioned a presidential task force whose main task was to dig into troubles facing the tea sector in the country, but three years since the findings were compiled, it has been shelved without any action.

He was speaking during the burial of industrialist Stephen Ongenyo Mogeni at Ikonge in Nyamira County.

Ongenyo who is also Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni’s uncle was the founder of Sokohuru business in Nyamira and owner of Mogeni Tea Factory.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i, Governors James Ongwae (Kisii) and John Nyagarama (Nyamira) together with Nyamira lawmakers and political leaders were present. 

“In 2016, the President commissioned a task force to find out woes bedeviling tea farming in the country and up to now, we are yet to see the results of the report which had brought some false hopes to farmers,” Cheruiyot said.

The Senator told Dr Matiang’i to put to task Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri over a Bill which he said has been polished by himself to streamline the tea sector.

“Mr CS (Matiang’i) as you convene the Cabinet meeting this week, ensure you remind Mr Kiunjuri about a report we gave him to ratify,” he said.

North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko praised Ongenyo for creating employment to residents of Nyamira through his farming and processing of tea.

“We want local farmers to continue enjoying fruits of liberalised tea industry,” said Mr Nyamoko.