Mkulima today the ministry is aggressively working hard on ways of taking over the ownership mantle at KTDA. The only problem is the KTDA is against the tea reforms.

The tea reforms have been initiated after several complaints raised by farmers and the many challanges in the sector. This led to the president asking the ministry of agriculture to finish up the process of tea reforms that was started several years ago.

The previous governments have tried to make changes to the tea sector but the latest request by president Uhuru kenyatta looks serious and is speeding things up.

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Well, no one ever likes changes or a challenge  to their status quo and KTDA isnt any different.

As a result of this, The Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA)  has once again turned to the legal system to throw a spanner in the tea reforms.

Court

The high court in Nairobi issued orders stopping the implementation of gazette notice by the CS agriculture. This was meant to create a national steering committee on the implementation of tea reforms in Kenya.

In a judicial review application KTDA argued that some of the members selected to be members of the committee have spoken publicly against the agency.

Some of the members were also said to have had cases against the company’s operations. While others have broken their contractual applications with KTDA.

KTDA also says that the members have not only been public against KTDA but also biased and have a conflict of interest therefore unfit to discuss issues affecting KTDA.

They also argue that there isnt an existing law thet gives the agriculture CS authority to form such a committee. They also argued that he has no authrotyi to appropriet public funds thta is allocated to thee agriculture food authority (AFA)  as was inidcated in the gazatte notice.

Court ruling

Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya said the application met the treshold of an arguable case.

She directed that the matter be mentioned at a latere date for further directions.

This hasnt stopped the ministry from atttending meeting with the public to push for the tea reforms. The ministry has also started parliamentary process to revert KTDA ownership back to the government.

Cabinet secretary Munya had on the 25th of June gazetted a notice that  formed an eight meber committee tha had varios fucntions or mandate.

The commitee  was tasked with

  • evaluating the policy
  • regulatory reforms
  • administrative changees.

KTDA doesnt like the idea of this amd has been resisitng  the tea refoerms that were ordered by the preisdent and aims to overhaul and audit the agency.

Credit source Kilimo news

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