NYERI, KENYA: The Tea directorate has released Sh 18 million to five tea factories for improvement of infrastructure in tea growing areas.
Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua announced that the money to be shared by Iria- ini, Gathuti, Gitugi, Ragati and Chinga tea factories was collected by the directorate since April 2013 under the former tea cess.
The governor said the money will be distributed to factories through chairmen of tea collection centers.
"We are in the process of disbursing this money to the tea collection centers committees under our individual factories to improve roads and other key facilities," Gachagua explained.
He said the distribution of the funds will be based on individual factories production and revenue generated from tea proceeds, noting that most of the roads in tea growing areas were in bad state.
The governor stated that one of the proposals in the recently passed tea bill by the county assembly and which he said has now become law was for the ward administrators to be allowed to seat in the committee of tea cess.
"This was aimed at ensuring that key road projects to benefit from the tea levy were identified," Gachagua who is also chairman of agriculture in the council of governors added.
Initially, the cess committee was comprised of factory chairman, tea directors and the factory management who would determine how the cess would be utilised.
But now according to the law, each ward administrator where the factory is located will be the Secretary to the committee.
The committee members will then appoint the vice chairman who will deputize the chairman in his absence.