a second society in Kirinyaga county to make its own coffee

 

Coffee roasting machine boosts farmers’ earnings

 

Coffee farmers from Mwerua Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Kirinyaga County are now making a significant extra coin from roasted coffee after the county government provided them with value addition equipment.

 

The 14,000-member society received a coffee roaster, a grinder and a packaging machine that now enables them roast, package and sell their own coffee to local residents.

 Mr. George Muthii Karimi society’s Manager said that while the county government provided the value addition equipment, the society sourced for the requisite licenses and authorizations from entities such as the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) as well as barcoding for their product.

 Karimi says the society started from roasting its coffee in December 2020 and has so far added value to 130 bags of coffee adding that the roasted coffee has a guaranteed market from the member farmers who agreed during their January 2020 annual general meeting that each one of them will be buying at least 500 grams of roasted coffee. The rest of the coffee is then sold to local residents through coffee factories and local shops.

“During the AGM in January 2020, members’ agreed that they will be buying 500 grams of roasted coffee, while the rest is sold to locals through factories and shops” said Karimi.

 Their target being to encourage local consumption of 20% of their coffee thereby improving the society’s income and payout to farmers and thereafter gradually introduce the value added coffee to supermarkets and other outlets in and outside the county.

 

The society is comprised of nine coffee factories namely; Kariani, Mitondo, Getuya, Gathambi, Kiaragana, Kiambwe, Rwamuthambi, Riakiania and Ihara.

 

The society’s Chairman, Geoffrey Kinyua said that the equipment has been of great help to the farmers as it is enabling them to add value to lower grades of coffee hence fetching more money for the farmers.

 

Kinyua assured members that eventually their roasted coffee will be trading in the international market. “We expect to field our coffee in the international trading market soon” Kinyua added.

 

During the equipment handover at the society’s offices, Governor Anne Waiguru said that value addition is in line with the Big Four Agenda and will go a long way into improving the farmers’ returns from coffee and also encourage local consumption of coffee.

 

Waiguru affirmed that coffee value addition would also create employment for the youth who are operating the equipment and engaged in various stages of the coffee value chain, a reality that has now been achieved.

”We expect youths who are members of the society to be involved in the running and operating of the machines, creating jobs for our youths” said Waiguru.

 

 

ENDS

 

 

Kirinyaga religious leaders hold prayers to a 30 kilometer stretch to cast demons.

Kirinyaga religious leaders hold prayers to a 30 kilometer stretch to cast demons.

Kirinyaga religious leaders have held prayers for the 30 kilometer stretch of newly constructed Kutus-Kianyaga-Kiamutugu-Kithure road cursing evil spirits after a spate of accidents.

The road that is from  has claimed over 50 boda boda operators the latest being a chief who had a head on collision with a boda boda rider claiming his life while the administrator got admitted in hospital for months for serious fractures and injuries.

The clergy was drawn from Anglican church, Redeemed Gospel, Holy Ghost church, PCEA.

Led by Kithure's Redeem Gospel church Pastor Ndonga Mithamo, the road that is fully tarmacked from Kutus all the way to Kithure that borders Embu county, has claimed many lives.

He also said that special prayers were also being done at River Nyamindi following the drowning of two love birds last month, and also students who drowned last year.

January 18,2020, two first year students and five others were on an excursion at Daraja ya Mungu bridge, and as they were taking photos, when one of them fell into the river. As one of them tried to pull his colleague out of the waters, he also slipped and plunged into the river.

The students were aged 19 and 21.

December 17,2020, A form 2 student drowned at River Nyamindi while taking selfies.

15-year-old Lucia Mwende was taking selfies with her friends when she slipped and fell into the river.

The man of God said there main objective for cleansing the road and the river was to curse evil spirits.

"We held prayers to the road that connects Kutus-Kithure and also the famous Nyamindi river that has claimed lives of many, we believe the accidents are caused by evil spirits" said Ndonga.

He also said the road was a promise after Uhuru Kenyatta came to the county for thanksgiving service for current governor who was the devolution cabinet secretary for devolution when his motorcade stuck in the mud for hours, delaying the ceremony-the president promised to have the road tarmacked, Ndonga said since the contractors were foreigners, there could be sacrifices being done that the president is not aware.

"We were very happy when the works started, the president may not even be aware what kind of contractors were, who knows whether they performed rituals casting evil spirits or sacrifices, the president may not be aware of such, when the road was through, accidents started claiming lives, as religious leaders we are determined to see the accidents stop" added Ndonga.

Holy Ghost Pastor James Magondu said that the road has so far claimed 50 lives, and left many maimed-with metal plates in their bodies. "deaths are very many due to accidents we must disconnect the two spirits" said Magondu.

The religious leaders said they were not campaigning for any politician but cleansing the road.

Black spots being Kiii, Kiamwangi.

ends...

 

Njuri Ncheke condemns gender violence against Kirinyaga men

Njuri Ncheke and Kikuyu council if elders had a meeting on Saturday to address gender based violence against men in Kirinyaga county.

Njuri Ncheke secretary General operations Josphat Murangiri said that it is unfortunate that Kirinyaga men are being assaulted by their wives and children.

"Njuri Ncheke and Kikuyu council of elders met to find ways how we can the cause of violence towards men perpetrated by their wives and children"said Murangiri.

He advised men play their roles within their families to reduce indulging in alcohol and abdicating their family duties.

Murangiri noted culturally men are never assaulted saying it was a curse.

The secretary general said also men who commit incest should be dealt with severely.

"If a man sleeps or has sex with his daughters per the traditions and cultures they would be put to death" he added.

Kikuyu council of elders chair David Githaka said that they will be meeting the men alleged to have been assaulted by their wives for a solution.

He also said through sensitization and education on drug substance use and the side effects it has in families will be the top agenda.

The sensitization will be done in collaboration with the police officers so as to assist men suffering in silence, and have not reported.

Njuri Ncheke secretary general operations Josphat Murangiri 

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru said that there is need for all cultural groups to work together to enhance traditions and also people to know different cultures.

"Kikuyu council of elders will be inviting other cultural groups in Mt. Kenya East for a way forward how families will be run to avert the gender violence being witnessed in Kirinyaga" said Waiguru.

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zone five tea directors condemn placement of strangers in tea industry.

Kirinyaga zone tea factories directors  held their elections on Wednesday electing John Mithamo as the regional director at the Kenya Tea Development Agency Limited.

The new chairman was voted unopposed by the 30 directors from different tea factories in the county at Kimunye, Thumaita, Kangaita, Ndima and Mununga.

The elections process was led by Wachira Kibanya and Collins Omondi.

Mithamo said their focus was to fish out culprits who have almost brought the KTDA to its knees frustrating the smallholder tea farmers.

"We are changing this narrative, and we are doing it for the benefit of farmers," said Mithamo.

He added that the reforms would also eliminate middlemen and make sure that the tea buyers used to trade freely on farmers commodities also brought at the auction competitively.

 

Thumaita director Richard Magu.

“We have been receiving low prices all along despite Kirinyaga producing the best teas but we note that since the new directors were elected, prices had shot up at the auction” Mithamo added.

The tea directors have condemned top KTDA officials for seeking to change the articles and memorandum of association to allow non-elected officials on the organisation's board.

The directors said the intended action is not only illegal but also violates the wishes of tea farmers who are the sole shareholders at the agency.

“We vowed to lead from the front in protecting the farmers’ wealth by dismantling all hurdles that some compromised KTDA officials have put in their way," he said.

Nahashon Ngare, Ndima factory director added his voice stating that the reason for electing Mithamo was his zeal to fight for reforms.

“Some former officials who were thrown out during last month’s elections are now formulating their comeback into the entity and little wonder these kind of proposals have been brought forth. We will not allow them to come back.They did enough damage for over two decades and contributed to the downfall of the sector," said Ngare.

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Iftir

Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru on Tuesday evening hosted Muslim’s from the county to celebrate Eid-Ul-Filtr festivities.

The invite was through the gender chief officer Abdi Birk, who said that Kirinyaga has Muslim faithful but have been left behind.

Waiguru added that the food donated was to be distributed to the 340 families and mosques in the county.

“The food that has been donated is supposed to be given to all the 340 families in the county” said Waiguru.

She said that the meeting has started with an aim of reaching out to other faithful as it has started with the Imams.

“we have started with Imams, next is all faithful's in the county” said Waiguru.

ends...

 Farmers groups in Kirinyaga County will earn Ksh. 15 million from sale of hass avocado seedlings this year.

Governor Anne Waiguru said the groups that were funded by the county government through the first round of the National Agricultural Rural Inclusive Growth Program (NARIGP), to establish avocado seedlings nurseries last year.

She said that the county government will be spending Ksh. 15 million on seedlings which will be bought from the round one groups and distributed to the second round of beneficiaries who will in turn start propagation of hass avocado seedlings.

The governor was speaking in Kimunye and Kamiigua, Kirinyaga East, on Wednesday where the County Government purchased seedlings worth Ksh. 2.5 million from farmers groups.

“We want to be the leader in avocado seedlings production where our farmers will be selling quality seedlings to other farmers within and outside our county. Through our Wezesha Kirinyaga program we will also be building avocado aggregation centers and an avocado processing plant where avocados for local and export market will be processed”, said the governor.

 She flagged off 60,000 seedlings to be distributed to 30 farmers’ groups that are beneficiaries of the second round of the program.

 The governor said that so far the county government has supported 314 farmers groups under Wezesha Kirinyaga empowerment program to implement diverse agricultural value chains including, dairy, avocado, tomato, poultry and pig production.

 “When we support farmers to diversify their agricultural activities, we create multiple income streams for them and reduce overreliance on one particular crop”, the governor noted.

 She said that due to the rising demand for avocado in the local and export market, avocado farming presents an immense investment opportunity for farmers in the county and that her administration is committed to supporting them to increase production and access to market”, she said add.

The county’s current annual avocado production is estimated at 15,000 metric tons worth around Ksh. 300 million. With the county government’s interventions, the production is expected to go up to 21,000 metric tons which will be fetching the farmers around Ksh. 700 million.

Avocado farming is not only expected to lead to improved household incomes and the county’s economy, but also to contribute to the achievement of the food security pillar of the country’s Big Four Agenda.

The Economic Survey of Kenya 2020 indicates that export earnings from fruits increased by 3.1 percent from Ksh. 12.8 billion in 2018 to Ksh. 13.2 billion in 2019, accounting for 9.1 percent of total earnings from horticultural exports.

Avocado has a fair share among leading export crops with around 68,000 tons having been exported in 2020.  Kenya is ranked among the eight topmost exporters of the crop whose demand is extremely high in the European countries and Middle East.

A hass avocado tree can yield between Ksh.8,000 and Ksh. 9,000 worth of fruits annually. Avocado growers are expected to reap more as prices are expected to rise in the coming years and so the more trees a farmer will be having the more returns they will be getting.

Christine Njeru from Mugwandi a beneficiary of the seedlings said that it will take her two years for it to mature, there after she will be able to sell the produce that will go towards educating their grandchildren who have been left behind after the death of their parents.

She said, the move is to make families self reliant, to stop depending on school bursaries.

“The seedling will be of use to us aging people who have are educating grandchildren, we will be able to stop relying on bursaries” said Mrs. Njeru.

She said despite Avocado being a fruit that gives energy, it will also bring them cash.

 

ENDS

caption: kirinyaga governor gives a hass avocado seedling to a farmer in Kimuye.the county is expected to produce 15,000 metric tonnes of the fruit.

Two kirinyaga leaders who voted NO to the BBI to forget about political positions.

caption: Kirinyaga Jubilee chairman Muriithi Kang'ara addressing the media on the BBI, saying those that voted for NO at the assembly and is a Mt. Kenya leader to forget about elective positions.

Jubilee party Kirinyaga county branch Mr Muriithi Kangara has today termed Kirinyaga women rep Ms Wangui Ngirichi and Ndia counterpart George Kariuki as enemies of people of Kirinyaga for opposing BBI bill in the national Assembly.

According to Jubilee chairman, the two have abandoned their electrolytes and are busy pursuing their personal interest.

Addressing press at Sagana town Mr Wakang'ara described the legislatures from Mt Kenya region who voted against the BBI bill as traitors who have sold their soul to the highway bidder.

He said that the bill is very progressive and puts for the needs of Mt Kenya region in forefront and no elected leader from the region should oppose it.

The Chairman noted that if the bill is passed during referendum, Kirinyaga county will benefit with additional one constituency which he noted they have always agitated in the last ten years.

Mr Wakang'ara pleaded with people of Mt Kenya region to separate BBI with next general election pointing that the residents should support BBI so that they can have more resources come next government.

He retaliated that president Uhuru Kenyatta remain the sole spokesperson for the region and he will saw the region the direction to take when the time come.

The ruling party chairman said that the region should seat down and bring all leader's in a table and those pushing away from the common interests if the region to be advised to stop creating unnecessary fight in the region.

     
caption: Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru congratulated the MP's who were opposed to the BBI but voted for it saying, atleast they are getting back their senses.

In the same voice Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru while speaking at Kagio St. Emmanuel PCEA church on Sunday said that it was encouraging to see some MPs who were very opposed to the Initiative change their mind upon reading the document and voted yes after understanding what it has.

“I don’t blame those who  started criticizing and opposing the initiative which was mooted soon after the famous hand shake between president Uhuru Kenyatta and the ODM Leader Raila Odinga  for they had not taken time to look at the document "she told the worshipers.

The governor also took the opportunity to urge the Senate to pass the document overwhelmingly like the National Assembly did last week.

“Once this document becomes law, our county will be receiving Sh 8.2 billion up from  the current Sh 4.2  billion meant  to develop all  the 20 Wards in our county, pay salaries and other recurrent expenditure ,”she said.

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