We're loading the full news article for you. This includes the article content, images, author information, and related articles.
Mathira coffee farmers reject the government’s direct M-Pesa payment plan, fearing the collapse of cooperatives and a return to the chaos of the 1980s.

A fierce rebellion is brewing in the heart of Nyeri as coffee farmers in Mathira vow to reject the government’s controversial Direct Sales Settlement (DSS) system, warning it is a Trojan horse designed to kill the cooperative movement.
The standoff pits the peasant farmers of Mathira against the Ministry of Cooperatives, led by CS Wycliffe Oparanya. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-15)At the center of the storm is a new directive requiring the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) to remit earnings directly to individual farmers M-Pesa or bank accounts, bypassing the traditional cooperative societies. While the state argues this will curb theft by society officials, farmers see it as a death sentence for the institutions that guarantee their credit.
Mureithi Maina, Chairman of the Irianini Farmers Cooperative, did not mince words. Speaking to a charged crowd of farmers, he termed the directive "impractical and a flawed boardroom decision." The core argument is financial: cooperatives act as guarantors, allowing farmers to access farm inputs, school fees, and emergency loans against their delivered cherry. If the money goes directly to the farmer, the cooperative loses its collateral, and the lending system collapses.
"How will farmers receive payments directly when coffee is sold in dollars? Are farmers delivering as little as one kilogram expected to open dollar accounts?" Maina posed, highlighting the disconnect between Nairobi bureaucrats and the reality on the ground.
The government’s intent is to streamline the sector and remove "brokers" who eat into the farmer’s shilling. President Ruto has previously promised that coffee farmers would see more money in their pockets. However, the implementation is facing a wall of mistrust. Farmers argue that without the collective bargaining power of the cooperatives, they will be exposed to predatory lenders and unable to afford inputs for the next season.
As the harvest season approaches, the stakes are high. If Mathira farmers make good on their threat to withhold data and produce, it could paralyze the Nairobi Coffee Exchange and embarrass the administration. For now, the farmers are digging in their heels: no cooperative, no coffee.
Keep the conversation in one place—threads here stay linked to the story and in the forums.
Other hot threads
E-sports and Gaming Community in Kenya
Active 8 months ago
The Role of Technology in Modern Agriculture (AgriTech)
Active 8 months ago
Popular Recreational Activities Across Counties
Active 8 months ago
Investing in Youth Sports Development Programs
Active 8 months ago
Key figures and persons of interest featured in this article