Coffee co-operative societies have been urged to seek services of armed police officers to safeguard their coffee in the factories.
This follows after the rampant cases of coffee theft in some of the coffee factories in the country, most recently being that of Kaguru Coffee Cooperative society which was broken into about two weeks ago and coffee worth more than Ksh 2.5 million stolen.
Speaking during a tour at New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union Meru Branch, New KPCU Board Chairman Daniel Chemno, urged coffee co-operative societies to seek armed police services as directed by the ministry of interior so that they safeguard their coffee.
Chemno disassociated New KPCU from the remarks made by Zablon Mbabu the Chairman Coffee Millers Meru, where Mbabu had claimed that the theft of coffee in various parts of the country was as a result of New KPCU.
The New KPCU Chairman said at the beginning of the year, the CS interior asked all coffee co-operative societies and estates where coffee is stored to seek armed police protection.
He said, as New KPCU, they have no hand and no role in coffee theft which happened in Kaguru coffee co-operative society and urged the police to investigate.
Chemno said as New KPCU they demand Mbabu to openly apologize for his remarks failure to which, the New KPCU will take legal action against him.
New KPCU Managing Director Timothy Mirugi said as New KPCU they have seen an increase in application and disbursement of cherry funds, and noted that they have disbursed Ksh 1.9 Billion adding that more applications are still being processed.
He said they are waiting to launch another new cherry fund model so as to vacate from the old model of Ksh 20 per Kg and to a graduated model of Ksh 40 per Kg.
The New KPCU managing director said there has been an upsurge in terms of what the New KPCU is handling for milling as it is also supporting other co-operative unions a thing which clearly shows that the new coffee reforms are bearing fruits and added that direct buyers are now coming in the country which an indication that the coffee will not be stuck in the warehouses.
On his part Zablon Mbabu the Chairman Coffee Millers Meru, said he is not accusing all coffee estate farmers for the theft of coffee but some individuals.
He said he will not apologize for his remarks and that he was ready to face any action.
