Gichugu MP Robert Gichimu has met with coffee cooperative chairpersons at the local NG-CDF office, barely a day after farmers held demonstrations in Kerugoya Town, protesting the proposed Direct Settlement System (DSS).
The DSS plans to pay coffee farmers directly via mobile money platforms, bypassing cooperative societies, causing backlash from farmers and leaders due to concerns about accountability and destabilisation.
Speaking during the meeting, Gichimu said the success of the coffee sector and indeed all farming sectors depends on unity and proper organisation.
He emphasised the critical role cooperatives play in helping farmers access loans, quality farm inputs, and financial services through SACCOs.
“Farmers benefit more when they are united through societies. These societies offer more than just payments; they offer support systems, financial assistance, and access to subsidised inputs,” said the MP.
“Paying farmers directly through mobile phones without a clear and transparent system is dangerous. In case money is lost, no one will be held accountable,” he added.
Furthermore, Gichimu also criticised the Commissioner of Cooperatives’ proposal to have Annual General Meetings (AGMs) attended only by elected delegates rather than all farmers.
He said this move is illegal and can easily be manipulated by cartels.
“Every farmer should have a say in their society’s decisions. Delegates can be compromised. Farmers must be allowed to manage their own affairs,” he said.
For instance, Ngari Nyaga, chair of the New Ngariama Coffee Society, said they are not going to surrender farmers’ data to the DSS system.
He thanked the court for issuing conservatory orders stopping its implementation, saying if the societies give out members data without proper systems, they are risking losing money with no way to trace it.
He further noted that without strong societies, farmers would struggle to access quality fertilisers and chemicals.
“It is the societies that regulate and distribute inputs. If farmers are left on their own, the quality of our coffee will drop because they won’t afford or access the right products,” he said.
Hellen Nyaga, chair of the Merichi Society, urged MPs to stand firmly with farmers and speak out on their behalf.
She warned that coffee cannot be treated like other crops. “Coffee is a sensitive cash crop that requires knowledgeable management. If not well handled, it will become useless to farmers,” she said.
Nyaga stressed that when farmers are paid through cooperatives, they are able to plan, save, and meet their daily needs. Saying the law should protect farmers, not oppress them.
The leaders expressed optimism that the ongoing Coffee Bill in the Senate will help streamline the sector if it focuses on strengthening cooperatives and ensuring reforms are done with full consultation of farmers.
Gichimu concluded by reaffirming his commitment to supporting farmers across all levels, saying he was elected to protect the people and will not abandon coffee farmers.
“We must ensure any reform becomes of help to farmers, without harming them,” he said.
By David Wandeto
