Coffee farmers in Mathira on Thursday staged protests over what they termed as poor payment.
They protested by blocking the Karatina-Nairobi highway and lighting bonfires on the roads.
Police at the scene put out the fire and controlled traffic which had built up at that point.
The agitated protesters spoke in their dialect.
Police officers were seen engaging them and trying to calm them down.
The demonstrations come two days after some farmers from Murang’a protested alleged poor management.
They claimed they were being intimidated instead of having their grievances addressed.
The farmers claimed their woes began in 2017 when they were being deducted five per cent from each farmer's earnings for a Sacco.
They said they did not approve the formation of the Sacco and neither did they consent to the deductions.
On June 11, 2024, the government waived debts owed by coffee farmers nationwide amounting to Sh6.8 billion.
The Cabinet sanctioned the decision in a meeting chaired by President William Ruto.
“At the meeting, the Cabinet considered and approved the debt waiver for coffee farmers and other coffee sector reforms,” a dispatch from State House said.
“Under this programme, the meeting sanctioned the write-off of historical debts amounting to KSh6.8 billion owed by coffee farmers nationwide.”
The Cabinet directed coffee co-operatives, saccos and other creditors to submit to the Ministry for Co-operatives, within seven days, the list of all farmers who owe them money and all the supporting documents for verification and processing of payment.
“Any fraudulent and fictitious claims, the Cabinet warned, will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” the Cabinet said.
