NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 13 – The government has put four tea factories in the western Rift Valley on notice over poor performance, warning that managers could be replaced and those implicated in corruption or mismanagement prosecuted if they fail to implement corrective measures.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Kiprono Rono said the government would work with farmers through the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) to institute management changes where necessary, in a move aimed at improving factory efficiency and increasing earnings for tea growers.
The warning followed a meeting convened by the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday, bringing together managers and directors of Kapkoros, Chebut, Litein and Mogogosiek tea factories to review their performance and address concerns over farmers’ returns.
Rono said the four factories had been issued with specific directives and timelines to address shortcomings identified during the review, warning that failure to meet the agreed targets would invite further action.
“The factories have been given clear directives and timelines to implement the agreed measures. We expect them to improve their performance and demonstrate accountability in the management of farmers’ resources,” he said.
The government also warned that criminal proceedings would be pursued against individuals found to have engaged in corruption, mismanagement or other malpractices, signalling a tougher approach to the oversight of tea factories.
The intervention comes amid growing concerns over the performance of tea factories and the impact of rising operational costs on the earnings of farmers, whose returns depend partly on how efficiently their produce is processed and marketed.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the ministry assessed each factory separately and agreed on corrective measures targeting operational efficiency, expenditure reduction and stronger accountability in the management of resources.
Factory expenses, including fuel, salaries and administrative costs, have remained key considerations in determining the revenue available for distribution to farmers. The government’s latest review is intended to ensure that excessive expenditure and management inefficiencies do not erode growers’ returns.
The ministry also directed that the SETET project supporting Litein Factory be fast-tracked to help address its operational challenges.
However, the ministry did not disclose the specific shortcomings identified at each factory, the individual performance targets set for their management or the deadlines for implementing the agreed measures.
Neither did it announce immediate changes to the management teams, leaving the fate of the officials dependent on their ability to deliver the required improvements and the outcome of any investigations into suspected wrongdoing.
The Tea Board of Kenya is expected to work with farmers in determining the management changes necessary should the factories fail to meet the stipulated targets.
Rono said the government’s priority was to protect farmers’ interests by ensuring that factories operated efficiently and accounted for the resources entrusted to them.
“The government remains committed to protecting tea farmers’ interests, improving factory performance and ensuring that farmers receive better returns for their produce,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Kenya Tea Development Agency National Chairman Enos Njeru, TBK chief executive Willy Mutai, directors of the four factories and other industry stakeholders.
The review places factory management under increased scrutiny as the government seeks to address operational inefficiencies and strengthen accountability in the tea value chain, with the ultimate objective of improving the returns received by growers.
