Former Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) executive David Ichoho and MP Gabriel Kagombe are among seven directors who have been re-elected to serve on the boards of Theta and Ndarugu tea factories in Gatundu South, Kiambu County.
The re-election also includes Charles Wanyoike Gatithi as chairman of Theta factory, along with Joe Mworia Gathuka (Karatu), Timothy Ng’ang’a (Gathaite), and Gerald Waweru Ndego from Mundoro electoral area.
The elections, overseen by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saw Julius Njoroge Ngugi elected as the sole new member to join the factories’ boards of management.
Regulatory reforms
The elected directors, led by Kagombe and Ichoho, pledged to uphold regulatory reforms aimed at revitalizing the tea sub-sector to ensure farmers receive fair compensation for their efforts.
Kagombe emphasized that the new leadership will address existing gaps throughout the value chain, aiming to empower small-scale tea farmers to benefit more directly. He stressed the importance of improving governance systems and enhancing farmers’ involvement in decision-making processes.
Kagombe also expressed confidence that with effective management, Kenyan tea can achieve global prominence and compete with leading producers like China and Sri Lanka.
“The government has already implemented a raft of reforms that has seen farmers’ earnings improve. We have also sealed most of the loopholes where farmers’ hard-earned money was being pilfered and siphoned by cartels. This among other measures must continue to be implemented if we indeed are serious about restoring the glory of tea farming,” he said.
The new director raised concerns over the fact that 98 percent of the country’s tea is sold in bulk at the Mombasa auction. He emphasized that it is now opportune for the government to focus on adding value to this crop, which is among the top foreign income earners for the country.
Kagombe urged for increased investment in tea research and innovation to enhance both the quality and quantity of tea production, aiming to boost earnings for farmers and improve their livelihoods.
“We have a duty to better our packaging, branding and blending to fetch the best from the available market. Already, we are in the process of beginning to conduct research on how our value addition systems can be enhanced. Farmers must enjoy the best returns for their hard work,” stated Kagombe.
