Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) directors from West of Rift led by Mr David Rono, the region's chairman addressing journalists at the Willis hotel in Bomet town on April 08, 2024.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
A fresh row has rocked the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) over the management of tea factories, alleged conflict of interest among senior managers, and the sale of processed tea below the government's set reserve price.
Directors representing small-scale tea growers from 40 KTDA-managed factories in the West Rift region have criticised the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) for its perceived inaction and potential conflicts of interest among its leadership.
The directors accused the acting Managing Director of Chai Trading, who also holds positions in KTDA's sister companies, of conflicting roles that have impacted tea prices negatively, particularly in the West Rift region.
“Chai Trading's acting managing director is both a buyer and a seller, as general manager-KTDA Management Services and as the sales and marketing department general manager,” Mr David Rono, the chairman West of Rift KTDA directors said in a statement on behalf of his colleagues.
The conflict of interest, they said, had skewed prices of tea in the auction, leading to lower prices of made tea from factories in the West of Rift, compared to those from the East of Rift – an issue that has persisted over the years.
The directors took issue with the fact that TBK and KTDA Management Services Limited's top managers did not attend the meeting at The Willis Hotel in Bomet town on Monday despite being invited to shed light on the issues raised.
KTDA Management Services Limited was accused of failing to ensure that quality tea is produced in the factories in the West of Rift region, which has the highest number of small-scale tea holders and equally produces the largest volumes of tea in the country.
