Nominated Kisii Senator Essy Okenyuri has raised concern over glaring disparities in tea bonus payments this year.
She said most disadvantaged are farmers from Kisii and Nyamira counties who she said were constantly “being unfairly disadvantaged” compared to their counterparts in other regions.
Kenya Tea Development Authority has since attributed the decline to a slump in the global economy.
While farmers in Mt. Kenya region receive bonuses averaging Sh50 per kilo, those in Kisii and Nyamira are earning as little as Sh12 per kilo, observed Okenyuri.
“This glaring disparity continues to cause deep frustration and triggered anger, the farmers feel shortchanged and discriminated against despite producing tea that is sold in the same international markets,” she said.
The discriminative bonus payouts, stated Okenyuri, was a powder keg for possible unrests.
Already, some farmers, enraged with the insulting rates, have uprooted their tea farmers while others have vandalised the collection centres in protest.
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