Coffee farmers in Manyatta constituency have sought legal intervention to prevent the auctioning of their cooperative, which is at risk of liquidation due to a Ksh. 60 million debt.
The Gakundu Coffee Cooperative Society, representing nearly 10,000 farmers, is struggling to protect its assets after defaulting on a Ksh. 50 million loan borrowed in 2014 from the Commodity Fund. Accrued interest has since raised the debt to Ksh. 60 million.
According to Robert Ndwiga, the cooperative’s chairperson, declining coffee production—largely attributed to the impacts of climate change—has drastically reduced their revenue, making it impossible to clear the debt.
“The drop in coffee yields has severely affected our income, leaving us unable to repay the loan,” Ndwiga stated, warning that an auction would devastate thousands of farmers without swift government intervention.
Farmers like Bernard Murimi have expressed disappointment with the government, accusing it of failing to address their challenges despite receiving strong electoral support.
“We supported this government, expecting it to solve our problems, but nothing has changed,” Murimi said, calling for immediate action to safeguard coffee farming in the region.
In a show of solidarity, Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji joined the farmers at Embu Law Courts, where they sought an injunction to halt the auction. Mukunji criticized the government for inaction, despite Parliament allocating Ksh. 2 billion to clear debts owed by coffee cooperatives.
“The cooperative’s assets are on the brink of being sold, which is unacceptable. The government must intervene urgently,” Mukunji said, urging Cooperative Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya to step in and rescue the society.
The farmers now await the court’s ruling, hoping for a reprieve to save their cooperative and livelihoods.
This case underscores the wider issues facing Kenya’s coffee sector, including declining production, financial instability, and the urgent need for government support.
This article, originally written by Anthony Ndwiga, was published on Citizen Digital on January 21, 2025.
