DP Gachagua has revealed how coffee cartels attempted to bribe him and Cabinet Secretary Linturi to halt changes.
According to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua the cartels wanted to give Sh2 for each kilo of coffee sold, but I urged them to go.
Now, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claims that cartels in the coffee industry attempted to buy him and Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi off in order to stop the changes that were already underway.
Speaking on Sunday in Meru, Gachagua asserted that the cartels were prepared to pay them off to halt the reforms.
He claimed that after promising him (DP) two shillings for each kilogram of coffee sold in the nation, they went to him (DP) but he also declined.
The deputy president stated that although the process of freeing the coffee farmer is challenging, it will be completed.
We’re getting there, I want to ask farmers, so please be patient.
It says, “Wamekuja kwa huyu Linturi akawaambia watembee. Kenya’s Huyu CS hawezi uza wakulima. When a kilogram of wanipatie shilingi mbili nikawaambia watembee is produced, mekuja kwangu kujaribu kunihonga ati nikubali mabadiliko isimamishwe is produced. Gachagua remarked, “Sasa wamefika mwisho.
They went to Linturi, but he told them to leave, roughly translated. This CS can’t betray the farmers of Kenya. They approached me and sought to buy my cooperation to halt the reforms. For each kilogram sold, they promised Sh2, but I urged them to go. They’ve come to a standstill.
Gachagua stated that although the cartels have retaliated, the reforms being implemented in the coffee industry so far show promise.
He reassured farmers that everything was well and that the industry would soon be streamlined.
President William Ruto gave the DP the responsibility of leading reforms in the nation’s coffee industry.
Since then, he has met with numerous stakeholder groups to discuss the same.
