Farmers allied to Kagunu Coffee Cooperative Society in Mathioya Subcounty have expressed hopes after they elected new management committee members.
The exercise was conducted on Friday.
The five members of the management committee were elected unanimously in the election presided over by Murang'a County Director of Cooperatives John Nderu.
Kagunu society had been marred by chaos and protests from farmers prompting the Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya to take action.
Farmers said the new management committee chaired by John Chege should rectify and iron out challenges that they have faced before.
They stated illegal deductions should be stopped.
They also said the new committee should ensure transparency and end gross misconduct in managing farmers’ coffee.
Chege said the new management committee was ready to work for the interest of the farmers through accountability and transparency.
“The new board will work for the interests of the farmers and ensure the farmers who were expelled from the society will be reinstated,” he said.
Chege said the Ministry of Cooperatives was conducting an inquiry into the operations of the society after farmers claimed some of the policies were employed without their knowledge.
“The farmers were not aware who was milling and marketing their coffee,” the new chairman stated.
The new chairman claimed the milling and marketing was done under total secrets.
The farmers claimed there was an illegal deduction of their coffee proceeds at 4.7 per cent, a move that was protested by the majority of farmers.
When Oparanya visited the society in mid-September, he barred members of the former management committee from vying for any position at the society, a decision that was overturned by the High Court in Murang’a allowing them to vie on October 18, after the date was changed from October 11.
Troubles at the society started in early September after farmers clashed with police after they escorted strangers who attended the society’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
There were injury cases reported.