Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has called for an end to cash transactions in the coffee business, citing concerns over fictitious and dubious dealings.
Speaking at Musese coffee mill in Chwele, Lusaka recalled a recent incident where Nakoyonjo Coffee Factory lost Sh25 million after officials withdrew cash that was subsequently stolen.
"Up to date, the farmers who delivered their coffee have never been paid," Lusaka lamented, suggesting the theft was an "inside game feigned in a robbery."
To prevent such occurrences, the governor proposed that coffee proceeds be directly deposited into farmers' banks or M-Pesa accounts. The county boss said he believes the move will eliminate opportunities for corruption, which he sees as a root cause of the protracted infighting among society officials.
"Everyone is fighting to get corrupt money," Lusaka remarked.
Bungoma ranks among the top six coffee-producing counties in Kenya, and Lusaka envisions utilising the potential for economic empowerment.
He emphasised that the current leadership squabbles stem from a "thirst to steal" and highlighted the county's significant coffee production, stating, "I know we grow other crops here for food, but we want to assure you that with coffee, we can bid poverty goodbye."
Lusaka expressed his conviction that coffee farming, along with continued county-level support at the grassroots, can liberate locals from poverty.
His sentiments were echoed by Patrick Kiburi Kilemi, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, State Department for Cooperatives.
Kilemi reaffirmed the government's commitment to coffee reforms that protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen, announcing, "We have already tabled a bill to address this issue."
Notable attendees at the event included MPs Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Majimbo Kalasinga (Kabuchai), Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany and a host of MCAs.
