Kenya: Miraa Sacco receives US $1.12m amid protests

the police to allow movement. He contacted a designer and quickly made stickers.

Muthomi says that night he didn’t sleep a wink. Avocados needed to move. ‘’We were printing stickers overnight as I drove from one roadblock to another - Thika, Limuru, Matuu- in the dark to negotiate for clearance of vehicles impounded by security. We delivered more stickers through courier. ASOK was largely unknown but within 24 hours it shot into the limelight for securing avocado clearance. Mr Muthomi adds the effort earned Kenya avocados the highest foreign exchange for the period ever and has opened new markets and demand even in countries whereKenya doesn’t have phytosanitary protocols.

Mr Ojepat adds the Kenya Airports Authority was roped in to update the organizations on availability of the scarce cargo space. Kenya Airways came in handy, offering its passenger planes to fly to Europe to deliver cargo despite not making profits. “Kenya Airways did it for the country, after understanding that after the pandemic we will need our markets. Market presence was more important than making money”, he added. For this sacrifice, OJ has made a call to exporters and government to support the national carrier to thrive. “Kenya airways came through for us, we should support the airline to get back into profitability”, he said.

His sentiments are shared by Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya CEO Hoseah

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has disbursed US $1.12m to Mwenge Miraa Sacco amid protests from a lobby group which has been opposed to the process. Each of the 25 wards in the miraa growing zones will access US $46000 in loans.

According to media reports, the money will also be spent on establishing offices and covering administrative and personnel costs.

The CS said Mwenge Miraa Sacco will lend the money to its members at an interest rate of three per cent since it is meant to cushion farmers and traders from adverse effects of the loss of markets.

Meanwhile, Nyambene Miraa Traders

Association (Nyamita) said it will be citing

Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga

Flying out for Kenya: National carrier Kenya Airways collapsed passenger seats to airlift Kenya horticulture produce to Europe as industry players joined forces to secure markets at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Images courtesy of Kenya Airways

Machuki who says, “I am grateful to the Kenya Government and Trade CS Betty Maina for listening to the industry and clearing logistical challenges to enable our products get to the markets.”

In addition, he says, Kenya Airways came through by airlifting products to the markets and for this for contempt of court over failure to heed to an order that all stakeholders be involved before the money is disbursed. The CS urged more residents to join Mwenge Sacco so as to benefit from the cheap loans given under the miraa revolving fund. Since early this year, Nyamita has been engaged in a tussle with the CS over his directive to have the US $1.6m miraa fund channelled through Mwenge Sacco, leading to a court battle. Nyamita Chairman Kimathi Munjuri is demanding that the money be disbursed to various qualifying saccos operating in the miraa growing areas. In July, the Commodities Fund told the court that it was in the process of developing a framework for disbursement of the money. Two weeks ago, Nyamita protested a move by the Commodities Fund to cancel a sensitisation forum where stakeholders were to be engaged on the reason, the national carrier should be treated as a strategic asset for the country”.

The market presence for Kenya was reinforced through the Kenya Private Sector Alliance led Caravan of Hope initiative that saw flowers flown through KQ to the UK for donation to hospitals, an effort that didn’t go unnoticed when President Uhuru Kenyatta recognized Elgon Kenya Managing Director Bimal Kantaria, who chaired the caravan, among Covid-19 heroes on Madaraka day. Said Mr Kantaria; UK is a big market for Kenya and we needed to support them in the hope when markets opened, they would continue buying flowers from Kenya.

East African Growers, exporters of fruits, vegetables and flowers say orders from the UK never stopped because of the logistical support all in the chain accorded the industry. The company says it was not making money but market presence was important, and they kept supplying to secure future orders.

Veteran Exporter Tiku Shah of Sunripe, he of the Chinese frozen avocados fame said, “The Government did a fantastic job, I am very impressed. Effective coordination between KAA and exporters’ lobbyists enabled planning of freights making it possible forKenya’s produce to be in the markets. “Everybody worked for Kenya produce to move out and this is very impressive”,

Said Mr Shah.

development of a framework and guidelines for disbursement of the money.

On the ongoing miraa trade ban in Somalia, Mr Munya called for patience from traders and told off a section of Meru leaders led by Senator Mithika Linturi who gave a 14day ultimatum for mass action. Mr Munya said the government is keen on reforming all agriculture sectors to ensure the farmer earns more.