This archive report was first published on 3 September 2019.
Published on September 3, 2019, a chaotic scene unfolded at Kibirigwi Coffee Factory in Kirinyaga County when farmers stormed the facility and blocked a lorry loaded with bags of coffee worth millions of shillings.
The farmers, who had not agreed on the miller of their choice, accused the factory's management of scheming to sell their coffee without their consent.
"We had not agreed on the miller of our choice but the management wanted to sell it without our knowledge," said Mr Mwangi Wang'ondu, one of the farmers.
Anti-riot police arrived and dispersed the rowdy farmers, but not before they had shattered the lorry's windscreen and attempted to lynch the driver.
The driver, panic-stricken, alighted and vanished into the dark with the mob in hot pursuit.
However, the situation was brought under control, and the officers guarded the coffee throughout the night and left the factory the next morning.
Kirinyaga West Deputy County Commissioner Moses Ivuto criticised the management for taking such a move, saying that coffee belongs to the farmers who have the final say on who should buy it.
