By Janet Nyamwamu
Kenya’s Senate has stepped up pressure for reforms in the tea bonus payment system and internship placements.
Sveral lawmakers voiced concern over systemic inequities that continue to disadvantage farmers and young people.
Senator Richard Onyonka of Kisii decried persistent failures in agricultural management and youth opportunities.
He urged Parliament to confront inequalities in internship placements and overhaul the tea and coffee bonus structure, which he said has frustrated farmers for decades.
“Yes, it is commendable that we want to equip our children with skills and provide them with internship opportunities. But fairness must guide this process,” he said.
“Let us ensure that even a child from Magarini or Nyatike has an equal chance,” said Onyonka while contributing to a motion by Senator Samson Cherargei.
He criticized the current internship system as a “soko huru” where opportunities are awarded to those with the deepest pockets or strongest networks, leaving behind qualified youth from rural and marginalized areas.
He warned that the public service portal remains inaccessible to many deserving candidates, calling for meritocracy and fairness in recruitment.
Turning to agriculture, the Kisii senator revisited the contentious tea bonus issue, which he said he has raised for more than two years without action from the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“Our farmers are still being shortchanged. We continue to rely on outdated and subjective methods of testing tea and coffee using the tongue, while science has since advanced to include parameters such as iron and potassium content,” he said.
Onyonka lamented that farmers in Western Kenya and beyond are repeatedly told their produce is of poor quality due to depleted soils and poor husbandry practices, a narrative he argued has become a convenient excuse as livelihoods continue to deteriorate.
“Mr. Speaker, our farmers are tired. This House must fix the structural problems in our agricultural sector,” he emphasized.
Adding to the debate, Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri tabled a statement seeking government explanations on disparities in tea bonuses across regions.
The statement highlights the stark differences in earnings between farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties and those in regions like Kericho, Bomet, and Nandi.
“Farmers in Kisii and Nyamira received bonuses as low as Ksh. 12 per kilo, while their counterparts in Mount Kenya counties earned up to Ksh. 50 per kilo,” it stated.
“This House must investigate the basis of these disparities and ensure equitable treatment of all tea farmers.”
The KTDA’s recently released bonus rates for the 2024/2025 financial year have sparked outrage mong farmers, particularly in Western Kenya, where many feel shortchanged despite contributing significantly to the country’s tea output.
In protest, some farmers reportedly vandalized tea collection centers, citing years of neglect and unfair valuation practices.
Tea remains one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners, yet regional inequities threaten the sector’s stability.
Experts argue that the bonus discrepancies stem from outdated grading systems, lack of transparency in pricing, and unequal access to extension services.
Senator Okenyuri urged the Senate to summon KTDA officials and agricultural stakeholders to explain the criteria used in determining bonus rates.
“The Senate must act decisively. Our farmers deserve fairness, not excuses,” she added.
The statement has been forwarded to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture for further deliberation.
