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Kenya Tea Development Agency Ltd board at a press conference at their offices at KTDA building in Nairobi on December 1, 2021. PHOTO | SILA KIPLAGAT | NMG
A fresh fight over the control of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) erupted on Monday after directors who were ousted last year attempted to take over operations at its headquarters in Nairobi.
The officials who were kicked out last year as part of State-backed reforms Monday forcibly occupied the agency’s headquarters for the better part of the morning, led by former KTDA chairman Peter Kanyago.
The former directors said in a statement that they were resuming office based on the High Court orders, adding that the current office holders are in contravention of the court decision.
In a rejoinder, KTDA chairman David Ichoho dismissed the move to reoccupy office as “political intrigues which are going to destroy the sector”.
“Matters on the legality of the board of KTDA Holdings are currently pending in the stayed High Court petitions. Any action to be taken by any person interested in the matter lies on the outcome of the consolidated petitions,” said Mr Ichoho.
“These matters have not been determined and the current board led by Mr Ichoho is in charge of the business affairs of KTDA Holdings until all the matters in court are heard and determined…the former directors of the factories and the former KTDA board members are persona non-grata in all KTDA affiliated facilities.”
The Kanyago faction had moved to court after being ousted through an election that followed an executive order that was issued in March 2021 when they resisted efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture to implement tea sector reforms meant to rid the sector of cartels and collusion between buyers and brokers.
The High Court barred the implementation of the executive order in a ruling in the same month, but in July this year, the Court of Appeal stayed the High Court orders, pending an appeal by the tea agency against the ruling.
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