 |
By John Kariuki
Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango has issued a blistering condemnation of the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries and Meru Central Dairy Union for what he termed an unconscionable assault on over 6,000 dairy farmers affiliated with Kirima Slopes Dairy Cooperative Society Ltd.
In a strongly worded protest to the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSME Development, Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya, Senator Murango decried the abrupt and punitive reduction in milk collection quotas. He warned that the move threatens to collapse one of the most resilient and reliable grassroots dairy cooperatives in the country and risks plunging thousands of households into economic despair.
For years, Kirima Slopes Dairy Cooperative has been the lifeblood of Kirinyaga’s rural economy, consistently delivering 75,000 litres of milk daily with 45,000 litres supplied to New Kenya Cooperative Creameries and 30,000 litres to Meru Central Dairy Union. This dependable supply chain, forged under the visionary leadership of the Cooperative’s Chairperson, has ensured predictable income for farmers and fortified the region’s economic foundation.
However, Senator Murango revealed a sinister turn of events. Meru Central Dairy Union last week issued a unilateral one-day notice slashing milk intake by half and imposing a KSh 6 per litre price cut. The following blow came when NKCC issued a similarly draconian directive, ordering a reduction of supply from 45,000 to 25,000 litres. These brutal directives have left over 35,000 litres of milk in daily surplus with no immediate outlet. This translates into projected losses exceeding KSh 2 million every single day. The impact is devastating to storage infrastructure and cripples smallholder farmers who cannot absorb such shocks.
According to the senator, this is not just economic sabotage but institutional betrayal of the highest order. He accused the two dairy processors of deliberately targeting Kirinyaga farmers while continuing to collect milk from other regions without disruption. The senator expressed grave concern over the glaring inequity and the destabilizing ripple effects on thousands of families now burdened with uncollected produce and financial hardship.
Senator Murango was emphatic in his admiration for the Cooperative’s Chairperson, praising her for her unwavering leadership, strategic foresight, and tireless advocacy for farmers’ rights. He noted that through her tenacity and wisdom, the cooperative rose to national prominence and responded with loyalty during NKCC’s revival efforts.
The senator has now called on the Cabinet Secretary to issue a firm directive to NKCC to resume full-volume milk collection from Kirima Slopes Dairy Cooperative as previously agreed. He also urged the ministry to convene a meeting with all stakeholders involved to chart a just and lasting solution to the crisis. Furthermore, he called for protection of grassroots cooperatives from abrupt and destructive decisions that undercut national agricultural policy and rural livelihoods.
Murango cautioned that if these developments are allowed to persist, they will undo years of progress in dairy sector reforms, erode farmers’ trust in cooperative institutions, and ignite widespread rural frustration.
Our farmers deserve dignity, predictability and protection. Not economic persecution. They stood firm when called upon and must not be repaid with betrayal, Murango emphasized.
The senator reaffirmed his commitment to escalate the matter if no swift action is taken, vowing to stand in defense of every farmer whose voice has been ignored.
0 $type={facebook}:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.