Questions as management of Sh1b fish project changes

Controversy has hit a Sh1 billion fish development project in Meru after the county government took over management of a processing factory from a cooperative society.

Meru County Investment and Development Corporation (MCIDC) yesterday took over the firm's operations from the Meru Fish Cooperative Society Ltd who had run it since 2016.

The Sacco Chairman, Joseph Mutwiri and a section of farmers yesterday protested the take-over, saying it could be linked to some funding from International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) in 2017.

"For years we looked for a donor but now that we have one, the county government has ejected our Sacco leaders," said Mutwiri.

He said the manner in which they were ejected was not fair and wondered why the county failed to have structured negotiations with them before the change of hands.

But MCIDC CEO Kenneth Ruteere insisted they had taken over the firm's operations after a consensus was reached with the sacco, which has about 2,000 members.

He said his corporation was under pressure to take over the firm, which was under performing.

"It was not processing even a tonne or of fish in a month," he said.

County Fisheries Director Patrick Mbaabu denied they had "dispossessed the farmers" of the factory.

He said the factory had been handed over to MCIDC after a series of meetings to sensitise stakeholders of the intentions of the county government.

“Eventually all the factories will be run by very serious investors,” he said