Senator Raises Alarm Over Plunging Tea Prices and Wild Animal Attacks in Nandi
Cherarkey urged the government to implement a comprehensive strategy to stabilize tea prices and protect smallholder farmers from exploitation.
Senator Cherarkey raises concerns over falling tea prices and wild animal attacks in Nandi. Photo/The Mount Kenya Times.
By Robert Assad
Nandi Senator Samson Cherarkey has presented two urgent concerns to the Senate, highlighting the twin challenges of falling tea prices and recurring wild animal attacks that threaten the livelihoods of his constituents.
Addressing the Senate on Tuesday, Cherarkey sought a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries over the drastic drop in tea prices in parts of the North Rift.
He noted that while tea prices in other regions remain stable or high, factories in Nandi, Kericho, and Bomet have slashed prices to as low as Ksh 17 per kilogram—without farmer consultation.
The Senator warned that the sharp price cuts could impoverish small-scale tea farmers and destabilize the tea sector in the region. He called on the Committee to investigate the pricing disparities and scrutinize the role of the Tea Board of Kenya in regulating tea pricing and factory operations.
Additionally, he questioned the use of cess funds collected during the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years in Nandi, demanding transparency on whether the funds benefited farmers as intended.
Cherarkey urged the government to implement a comprehensive strategy to stabilize tea prices and protect smallholder farmers from exploitation.
In a separate matter, the Senator requested urgent intervention by the Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment, and Natural Resources following a series of livestock attacks in Nandi by what residents believe to be a leopard.
He criticized the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for its inaction despite numerous complaints over the past six months.
Cherarkey demanded identification of the predator, an investigation into its movement patterns, and accountability from both KWS and the State Department for Wildlife.
He stressed the need for immediate compensation for affected farmers and stronger livestock protection measures around the Bonioke Endangered Wild Animal Sanctuary.
The Senator warned that continued inaction on both issues would not only harm the region’s economy but also erode public confidence in government institutions.
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