Mudavadi assures tea farmers government to address sector challenges

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi admire tea at Mudete Tea Factory, Vihiga on July 22, 2026. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has assured tea farmers that the government is committed to addressing the challenges facing Kenya's tea industry.

Mudavadi urged growers to remain patient and continue investing in tea production as reforms are pursued to strengthen the sector.

Speaking during a visit to Mudete Tea Factory in Vihiga County, Mudavadi acknowledged concerns raised by farmers and factory management over high taxation, poor road infrastructure, fluctuating global tea prices, pests and diseases.

He said the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is actively working to resolve policy and operational issues affecting tea production.

"Policy-related issues are there and we can resolve them. You don't bring down the house because the roof is leaking," Mudavadi said.

He cautioned farmers against uprooting tea bushes in response to current challenges, saying tea remains one of Kenya's most reliable cash crops and a major contributor to household incomes and the national economy.

"Tea remains the only crop in the region that guarantees farmers a payslip every month. Every tea farmer earns something from their sweat," he said.

Mudavadi described Mudete Tea Factory as one of the most transformative investments in Western Kenya, noting that it has changed the economic fortunes of thousands of families since it was established in 1997.

The factory currently serves about 12,000 tea farmers in Vihiga and neighbouring Kakamega County.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi during a visit to Mudete Tea Factory, Vihiga County on July 22, 2026. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]

Reflecting on the factory's history, Mudavadi recalled that before its establishment, farmers had to transport green leaf to Chebut in Nandi County for processing, an expensive and time-consuming exercise that reduced their earnings.

"We used to take tea to Chebut in Nandi County for processing and this was a tedious journey for our farmers. Since the establishment of Mudete Tea Factory our farmers can now put a smile on their faces," he said.

The Prime CS credited the project's success to the efforts of his late father, Moses Mudavadi, together with other regional leaders who championed the idea of establishing a tea factory closer to farmers.

He said he later helped actualise the project after being elected Member of Parliament for Sabatia Constituency.

Established during the administration of former President Daniel arap Moi with support from the Government of Kenya and the European Investment Bank, Mudete Tea Factory has become a cornerstone of the region's agricultural diversification, reducing overreliance on sugarcane farming while creating employment and sustainable incomes.

"When we talk about Western Kenya, the debate has always been sugarcane," Mudavadi observed, adding that tea has provided farmers with an important alternative source of livelihood.

He challenged stakeholders to expand tea farming across the region, citing Kisii County as an example of how increased investment in tea processing can boost rural economies.

"Kisii has the same population pressure and rainfall patterns as the Western Region, yet Kisii has more than eight tea factories while the whole of Western Kenya has only one," he noted.

Mudavadi also underscored tea's strategic importance to Kenya's economy, noting that nearly 95 per cent of tea processed at Mudete is exported, with only five per cent consumed locally.

"Ninety-five per cent of the tea produced here is exported, while only five per cent is sold locally," he said, calling for greater investment in value addition, branding and market expansion to increase farmers' earnings.

He further encouraged young people to embrace tea farming as a modern agribusiness, saying technological advances in production, branding and marketing have made the sector more competitive.

"Youth should look at tea farming as a serious investment because the government has invested in technology, particularly in branding and marketing," he said sentiments, revealing that the factory has paid Sh10.5 billion to farmers since its establishment. 

They appealed for the construction of additional tea factories to accommodate the growing number of farmers.

Mudete Tea Factory Board Chairman Avugana Khasiani revealed that the factory has paid Sh10.5 billion to farmers since its establishment. He appealed for the construction of additional tea factories to accommodate the growing number of farmers and reduce transportation costs.

Factory Manager Peter Munialo urged the government to lower taxes affecting the tea industry, improve rural road networks and strengthen trade negotiations to secure new export markets.

Munialo said expanding market access would enhance foreign exchange earnings, create more jobs and improve returns to tea farmers while sustaining the sector's contribution to Kenya's economy.