Angry tea farmers oppose move to relocate Kericho Ketepa factory

By Alex KiprotichPlans to relocate Kenya Tea Packers (Ketepa) to Nairobi from Kericho have been met with resistance from tea growers.The company has been packaging tea for local and international market in Kericho for 32 years.While the company managers argue they want to relocate due to threats against its employees and post-election violence, farmers see it as a move to cripple the economy of the region.The farmers, led by the chairman of the Kenya Union of Small Scale Tea Owners (Kussto) Rift Valley region Joel Chepkwony, said the planned move is a deliberate effort by selfish individuals to cripple the region’s economy.Chepkwony said Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) deducted funds from small-scale tea farmers to acquire the factory that was previously owned by Brooke Bond Kenya Limited, now Unilever Tea Kenya Limited."We will not allow this to happen because it will affect our economy," said Chepkwony. Relocation PlanKipkelion Town councillor Kiprono Chumo said the residents would resist the move. He said powerful individuals who want to take control of the tea sector hatched the relocation plan. "We will fight to ensure that Ketepa is not relocated to Nairobi. Residents were not consulted on the issue," he said.Chumo said farmers contributed money towards the setting up of the factory and wondered why they were not being consulted over the planned move. Chepkwony said farmers would be forced to stop delivering their green leaf to factories owned by the agency and divert them to multinational tea companies.Ketepa is partly owned by Unilever Tea Kenya Limited and small-scale tea farmers affiliated to KTDA. The farmers own 66 per cent of the company.It was built by then Brooke Bond Kenya Limited before selling some shares to the agency.Operating since 1978, the company is arguably the most recognisable name in tea production in Kenya. It is located in Brooklyn in Kericho.Every factory in Kenya supplies six to seven per cent of their tea to Ketepa, which then packages and distributes processed tea independently.Members of Parliament from South Rift are also against plans to relocate the factory.The relocation is said to be a move to ensure workers safety following reports that leaflets are being circulated to warn certain communities to vacate.ThreatsRoads Minister Franklin Bett and Energy assistant minister Charles Keter said the relocation is uncalled for.Bett asked security personnel to apprehend those threatening workers from other communities so as to safeguard the company’s operations. "It is utter nonsense to say the company is relocating because of security yet we have security agencies that can handle such issues," he said. Keter said the company must rescind its decision."We have thousands of people who depend on tea and the factory should continue operating from the region," he said.Chumo called on MPs from the region to push for the Bill sponsored by Konoin MP Julius Kones seeking to amend the Tea Act to pave way for liberalisation of the tea sector."MPs should move with speed and introduce the Bill to enable tea farmers to sell their green leaf to the highest bidder," he said.Kenyan tea, which is packaged by Ketepa using state of the art machinery, is world renowned for its superior quality.Ketepa carefully selects and packs its tea blends from the best gardens in Kenya thus ensuring a refreshing aroma and taste. These blends contain 100 per cent pure Kenyan Tea.

Angry tea farmers oppose move to relocate Kericho Ketepa factory

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