Africa-Press – Kenya. Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri has raised alarm over what she termed as glaring disparities in tea bonus payments.
Okenyuri claimed that farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties are being shortchanged compared to their counterparts in other tea-growing regions.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Okenyuri said while farmers in Mt Kenya are receiving bonuses averaging Sh50 per kilo, those in Kisii and Nyamira counties are earning as little as Sh12 per kilo.
“This glaring disparity has caused deep frustration and triggered anger among farmers who feel shortchanged and discriminated against despite producing tea that is sold in the same international markets,” Okenyuri told the House.
The senator warned that the frustration had already spilled into unrest, with reports of enraged farmers destroying tea collection centres in protest.
She added that the discrepancies had reignited concerns over the Kenya Tea Development Agency’s (KTDA) pricing and distribution systems, questioning whether smallholder farmers in certain regions were being systematically disadvantaged.
“Mr Speaker, the bonus discrepancies have left many farmers disillusioned, believing their sweat and toil is not being fairly rewarded. This is a matter of transparency and fairness,” she said.
Okenyuri cautioned that inequities in bonus payments risk destabilising Kenya’s tea sector, one of the country’s largest foreign exchange earners and a livelihood for millions of families.
She urged the government, in partnership with KTDA and other stakeholders, to urgently address the disparities and implement reforms to restore fairness, equity, and confidence among farmers in Kisii, Nyamira, and other affected regions.’
Her remarks come after the KTDA blamed the weak currency for dwindling bonus payments following an uproar by tea farmers.
In a statement Tuesday morning, the Agency attributed this year’s drop in earnings to international market dynamics and currency exchange movements that were less favourable compared to last year.
The strengthening of the Kenyan shilling against the US dollar contributed largely to the reduced earnings by KTDA.
“In 2024, the Kenyan shilling traded at an average of Sh144 to the US dollar, while in 2025 the average was Sh129. This weaker exchange rate meant that even where international prices were stable, the amount realised in Kenya Shillings was significantly lower,” the statement read.
Farmers have been protesting in the country’s tea belt areas west of the Rift Valley, where factories announced meagre payments compared to previous years.
The regions that include Nyamira, Kisii, Kericho, Bomet, Nandi and Vihiga counties have seen tea farmers earn less compared to areas east of the Rift Valley such as Nyeri, Murang’a, Meru, Kirinyaga, Embu and Kiambu.
The tea agency noted that the drop also affected tea prices in different regions of the country. For instance, the East Rift and Kiambu fetched Sh371 per kilo, a drop of Sh46 from last year.
KTDA further stated that Murang’a earned Sh376, down by Sh42; Nyeri earned Sh388, down by Sh42; Kirinyaga earned Sh400, down by Sh38; Embu earned Sh404, down by Sh34; and Meru earned Sh381, down by Sh46.
KTDA explained that these discrepancies exist because tea from high-altitude zones naturally fetches better prices due to its higher quality, which is favoured in global markets.
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