KAKAMEGA, Kenya – Governor Fernandes Barasa has reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to transform the county’s tea sector by assisting farmers and accelerating industrial investments in tea processing.
The long-awaited Madala Tea Factory is on track, according to Governor Barasa, who made this announcement at a consultative meeting with tea producers from all six wards of Shinyalu Sub-County at the County Headquarters.
In collaboration with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), the factory will be built on an 8-acre plot of land that the County Government has previously purchased.
This comes after the County Government and KTDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier 2025, which was later approved by the Committee on Trade and Industrialisation of the County Assembly.
“This tea factory will be a game-changer not only for Shinyalu but also for other tea-growing areas, including Khwisero, Lurambi, and Ikolomani. We are committed to making sure that tea farmers no longer suffer losses or are taken advantage of because they lack adequate processing facilities and market access,” said the county boss.
What is Governor Fernandes Barasa’s request to the area MCAs
The Governor urged Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to give the passage of laws that protect tea growers’ interests a priority in order to shield farmers from being taken advantage of by dishonest middlemen.
Additionally, he encouraged farmers to join cooperatives to gain access to the County Government’s assistance and greater negotiating leverage.
Y News understands that tea farming in Kakamega County is experiencing developments, including the distribution of tea seedlings and the construction/resumption of tea factories.
The Shinyalu Constituency is a focal point, with plans to distribute 240,000 tea seedlings across 13 collection centers.
How Kakamega County tea farmers can benefit from the venture
To guarantee access to high-quality, high-yield planting material, Governor Barasa also promised to enable local farmers to make investments in the development of tea seedlings.
“Every leaf that our farmers produce should be advantageous to them,” added Governor Barasa, while underlining that increasing productivity and earnings requires local support for seedling production.
Y News understands that this most recent development, which comes after the Lugari Maize Milling Plant was recently put into service, is in line with Governor Barasa’s larger plan to support rural industrialisation, value addition, and agribusiness as the cornerstones of Kakamega County’s sustained economic empowerment.
Present were MCAs Helemina L’lanziva, Elphas Shilosio, Danstone Mukofu, Charles Lwanga, Hon. Samuel Segero, and a KTDA delegation led by Mr. Peter Munialo, Chairman, Paul Agoi, and County Executives led by the CCEM, Dr. Lawrence Omuhaka.
