Tensions are escalating within Kenya’s tea industry following a controversial move by the Tea Board of Kenya to introduce independent, non-shareholding directors into the management of tea factories. The proposal, aimed at strengthening corporate governance and improving accountability, has drawn sharp criticism from farmers and industry leaders who see it as a threat to their control and interests.
While the Tea Board argues that the inclusion of independent directors is in line with the Companies Act and is meant to enhance transparency and oversight, many farmers fear the move could erode their influence and reverse gains made in recent years.
Speaking during a heated special general meeting at Theta Tea Factory in Gatundu South, area MP GG Kagombe, who also serves as a director for Zone 1, condemned the proposal, terming it a hostile takeover of farmer-run enterprises. “On the surface, the plan appears to promote good governance, but in reality, it risks disconnecting management from the real challenges farmers face. We cannot allow a repeat of what happened in the coffee sector when farmers were pushed out of decision-making only to start struggling with disastrous consequences,” said Kagombe.
The MP maintained that leadership of tea factories should be democratically elected by farmers themselves, not appointed by external authorities. His sentiments were echoed by farmers from Ndarugu and Theta tea factories, warning the move could destabilize a sector that has only recently begun to recover.
“We have worked tirelessly to bring back profitability to our farms. Bringing in directors who have never tilled the land or marketed our tea risks undoing all that progress,” said Samuel Ndirangu, a farmer from Ndarugu.
The farmers argued that while independent directors could potentially bring financial and managerial expertise, they may lack the lived experience needed to understand the unique pressures faced by smallholder tea farmers, including price fluctuations, rising input costs, and global competition.
