This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
July 12, 2020
Kenyan coffee farmers from the Thanga-ini Cooperative Society in Murang'a have written to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, demanding the dissolution of their cooperative society.
The farmers, drawn from three factories - Mathare-ini, Nguku, and Karia-ini - have been at odds with the society's management for seven years, accusing them of gross mismanagement of finances, assets, and human resources.
According to Nathan Ngonjo, a member of Mathare-ini factory, the society's management makes unacceptable deductions on their coffee earnings, which are never properly accounted for.
“They make a statutory deduction of 20 per cent from our total earnings but this money is never properly accounted for,” Ngonjo said.
The farmers have also complained about the distance from their factories to the society's headquarters in Thanga-ini town, which they claim is a punitive eight-kilometre walk.
Thanga-ini Cooperative Society Chairman Hiram Mwaniki has rubbished the farmers' claims, stating that the allegations of misappropriation of funds are unfounded.
“They should go to the Commissioner of Cooperatives if they have complaints. We carry out our audits and hold annual general meetings,” Mwaniki said.
