Oparanya Launches Bold Coffee Sector Reforms in Tharaka Nithi, Vows to Uproot Cartels and Revive Production

Tharaka Nithi, Kenya – In a sweeping effort to revamp Kenya’s ailing coffee sector, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs, Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, has unveiled a comprehensive reform package aimed at restoring the country’s coffee economy and empowering thousands of smallholder farmers.

Speaking directly to farmers in Tharaka Nithi County, Oparanya announced the distribution of free coffee seedlings as the first step in a nationwide revival plan. The government aims to boost national output by easing the financial burden on farmers and modernizing cultivation practices.

“We are here to revive coffee farming. This year, the government will provide free seedlings as part of our revival plan,” declared Oparanya, met with thunderous applause.

Targeting Corruption and Cartels

In a bold move to dismantle entrenched interests, Oparanya addressed the decades-old debt crisis that has crippled cooperatives and pushed many farmers into poverty. However, he issued a stern caveat—only genuine debts will be honored by the state.

“We will not pay for fake or inflated debts. This is about justice for the real farmers, not enrichment for cartels,” he emphasized.

This uncompromising stance signals the government’s intent to purge the industry of corruption, inefficiency, and shadowy middlemen who have siphoned value from coffee producers for years.

A Revival Rooted in Reforms and Accountability

The coffee revitalization plan comes at a time when Kenya’s once-prized position on the global coffee stage has waned. Years of declining yields, poor cooperative governance, and market instability have driven many farmers away from the crop.

But the new reforms are designed to reverse that trend by:

• Distributing high-yield seedlings for free

• Auditing historical cooperative debts

• Enforcing accountability in farmer payments

• Cracking down on exploitative cartels

Oparanya reaffirmed that this initiative is part of President Ruto’s broader agricultural modernization strategy, aligning with Kenya’s goal to reclaim its legacy as a top global coffee exporter.

Farmers React with Renewed Hope

Local farmers in Tharaka Nithi welcomed the announcement with cautious optimism. Many see this as a rare opportunity to reset an industry they feel has long been abandoned.

“If the government follows through and keeps the cartels out, we will bounce back stronger than before,” said Miriam Kithure, a long-time farmer in Chuka.