- The elections of smallholder tea factory directors concluded on June 29, 2024.
- It was the first tea farmers’ election to be conducted by IEBC.
Image: TEA BOARD OF KENYA/FB
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has urged newly elected directors of smallholder tea factories to fight inefficiencies in processing and marketing of the cash crop.
Speaking during the release of results of the elections on Sunday at Kilimo House in Nairobi, Linturi further asked the new office bearers to exercise good governance.
“I urge the newly elected directors to immediately initiate the full implementation of reforms by reviewing the articles and memorandum of association of the tea factory companies to adopt best governance practices,” the CS said.
He thanked the farmers for patiently exercising their “ democratic right by participating in the free, fair, and peaceful election of the directors.”
Present during the release of the results were officials from the State Department for Agriculture, the Kenya Tea Development Agency, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Tea Board of Kenya and industry stakeholders.
The elections of smallholder tea factory directors concluded on June 29, 2024. It was the first tea farmers’ election to be conducted by IEBC.
The Tea Board of Kenya nominated and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 23, 2024with IEBC to conduct free and fair elections for directors of the 54 KTDA-managed smallholder tea factories.
A total of 628,555 registered tea farmers were expected to participate in the 2024 smallholder tea factory directors’ election.
Out of the registered farmers a total number of 328,253 voted, representing a 52.2 per cent voter turnout.
Following the successful elections, the directors-elect will be presented in the farmers’ Special General Meeting for adoption of bonafide directors by the farmers in accordance with the articles of association of the tea factory companies.
The government through the Tea Board of Kenya will supervise the election of national directors to the Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) Holdings Board set for July 26, 2024.