Coffee miller ordered to close down business

A security officer dusts the mirror of a matatu that was hijacked by armed gangsters along the Nakuru-Nyahururu road. The criminals, who had posed as passengers, later abandoned the vehicle in Solai. No one was hurt in the incident. [PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

By NDERITU GICHURE

Nyeri County: The Nyeri county government has threatened to close down a privately-owned milling plant, intensifying the wrangling in the coffee sector.

More than 300,000 farmers from Mt Kenya region will be affected if the government makes good its threat to shut down Central Kenya Coffee Mills Limited. More than 50 coffee societies and 153 coffee factories deliver their coffee for milling at the firm, which has been operating for the last 10 years.

County Executive in charge of Agriculture Shadrack Mubea has issued a seven-day notice to the miller to halt operations and close down or be forcefully closed down.

The move follows the government’s proposal to centralise coffee milling in the region, despite strong opposition from some farmers.

Addressing the Press in Nyeri, Mr Mubea said some private millers had not  complied with statutory requirements by the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema).

“There have been numerous complaints regarding the mill and a newly constructed go-down by the members of the public from Kamunyaka in Mathira, where the miller is located, about the environmental impact it has had,” Mubea said.

He accused the management of the mill of refusing to submit an approved plan of the building housing the mill and the go-down.

“Consequently, the owners have refused to comply with by-laws and are operating without a safety precaution licence for employees,” he said.

He added that the mill was constructed without approval and no building plan was submitted in accordance with the Physical Planning Act Chapter 286.

“Any person transacting business with the miller is doing so at his own peril,” he said.

Refuted allegations

Mubea said failure by some private millers to observe safety precautions as well as the Public Health Act was to blame for the low coffee prices in the overseas markets.

But in a quick rejoinder, the general manager of the mill, Charles Mweya, refuted the allegations, saying they have complied with all statutory requirements. Mr Mweya said the factory fulfilled all legal requirements, including acquiring a single licence permit from the county government.

“We even have a physical plan approved by the same government; we are surprised that they want to close the mill when they have been trying to attract investors,” Mweya said.

“We have all the documents and will submit them, including a certified report from Nema, on the environmental audit,” he added.