Nairobi -In the heart of Kenya’s coffee belt, a quiet revolution is brewing. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has promised sweeping reforms that he says will reshape the country’s troubled coffee sector just in time for the 2025/2026 harvest.
Addressing a crowd of more than 12,000 farmers in Kirinyaga County on Sunday, Kindiki didn’t mince his words. He blamed a network of “entrenched cartels and middlemen” for years of farmer exploitation, and vowed that the government would “eliminate them permanently.”
“The days of farmers sweating while brokers grow rich are numbered,” he said to loud applause at Kianjang’a Public Grounds in Ndia Constituency. “We are working to restore the coffee industry to its former glory.”
What’s Changing?
The government is preparing a package of changes aimed at making life easier and more profitable for Kenya’s coffee growers.
Top of the list: simplifying the licensing system. Under the new plan, farmers and traders will need just one license to operate whether as a miller, broker, or marketer. The goal, Kindiki said, is to cut red tape and close the loopholes that have allowed corrupt practices to thrive.
He also confirmed that the government is boosting funding to the Coffee Research Institute. This will ensure farmers get timely access to fertilisers, certified seedlings, and subsidised pesticides.
“Farmers can’t keep waiting for supplies that arrive too late or cost too much,” Kindiki said. “We’re fixing that.”
New Laws Coming
Two new pieces of legislation are also on the way. The Coffee Act, 2025 and the Cooperatives Act, 2025 are expected to be passed in Parliament within weeks.
“These laws will introduce proper governance in coffee societies and factories,” Kindiki said. “We’re putting in place structures that will stop the exploitation once and for all.”
If passed, the new laws will give co-operative societies stronger oversight powers while setting clearer rules for financial transparency.
A Glimmer of Hope
Recent price increases have given farmers some relief. In the last season, a kilo of coffee cherry fetched between KSh 110 and KSh 150 a marked improvement from previous years. While still short of the highs seen decades ago, Kindiki said the country is “on the brink of a coffee comeback.”
“I can finally see a future in coffee,” said Jane Wambui, a smallholder farmer who travelled from nearby Gichugu to attend the forum. “But we’ve heard promises before. What matters now is action.”
Unity at the Top
The event drew senior officials and local leaders, including Ndia MP George Kariuki and Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari. Also present were Kenya Seed Company Chair Wangui Ngirichi and County Assembly Speaker Muteti Murimi, signalling broad political support for the reforms.
Still, questions remain. Analysts warn that dismantling entrenched cartels won’t be easy. The sector’s problems are deep-rooted, and past reform efforts have often stalled amid political wrangling or lacked follow-through.
“This is a step in the right direction,” said agricultural economist David Mugo, speaking to media. “But unless the reforms are backed by strict enforcement and consistent support, farmers may see little change.”
For now, optimism in the coffee fields is cautious but real.
“We’re tired, but we’re hopeful,” Wambui said, clutching her bag of seedlings. “Maybe this time, something will change.”
