Lobby faults State over team to revive pyrethrum sector
Pyrethrum Board of Kenya Staff Superannuation Scheme members attend a meeting at the Nakuru factory on July 31, 2017.
What you need to know:
- The Council of Governors has also criticised the government for embarking on reforms without involving counties.
The Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya is yet to pay more than 300 pensioners their outstanding dues as it battles a financial crisis.
Pyrethrum growers have faulted the government for selecting a revitalisation committee without consulting key stakeholders in the sector.
The process may not succeed if key people such as farmers are not involved in making decisions through public participation, said Mr Justus Mochache Monda, the chairman of the Pyrethrum Growers Association (PGA).
The Council of Governors (CoG) has also criticised the government for embarking on reforms without involving counties.
“The Ministry of Agriculture has appointed the pyrethrum and cotton revitalisation committees without consulting county governments,” said CoG Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya.
Noble idea
Mr Monda said while forming the committee was a noble idea, the government will get it wrong if it does not consider the input of key stakeholders.
“The 18 pyrethrum growing counties are crucial in the revival of the sub sector and should be involved in the efforts,” said Mr Monda.
He said the counties were crucial because they allocate funds in their annual budgets for the revival of the sector.
The Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya is yet to pay more than 300 pensioners their outstanding dues as it battles a financial crisis.
The Pyrethrum Board of Kenya Staff Superannuation Scheme fell into financial problems nearly a decade ago.
Since 2012, members of the scheme who have been leaving service due to retirement or natural attrition have not been paid their dues.
Sh2.3 billion
Pyrethrum pensioners’ spokesperson Harun Tinga also criticised the appointment of the committee for not involving the retirees.
Mr Tinga said pensioners had not been paid their dues, amounting to more than Sh2.3 billion.
The Retirement Benefits Authority filed a petition in court. After four years, the court ruled that the pension scheme should be wound up and liquidation of assets carried out to raise funds to pay pensioners.
The official government receiver, through the Attorney-General, was appointed to execute the orders in May 2017.
However, the liquidation has stalled, even as the cash- strapped pyrethrum company continues to cling to underutilised land worth Sh4 billion.
