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Leaders plot economic future

Details

Published on Saturday, 02 June 2007 07:07

A delegate at the Kisii leaders' meeting at Kisii town on Monday.

Several technical committees will be formed to discuss the way forward for the Kisii, a leaders' meeting resolved. The committees proposed are for agriculture, education, insecurity, communications and social services and health. They will be made up of professionals from the three Gusii districts of Kisii, Gucha and Nyamira and will report to the next leaders' meeting early next year.

During the meeting at Gusii Institute of Technology, chaired by Ford People leader Simeon Nyachae, farmers expressed concern about poor payments for their produce and suggested that a tea-blending factory be put up in the country. Kitutu Chache MP Jimmy Angwenyi, who attended the collapsed Cancun World Trade Organisation talks, said a kilo of tea sold at $1.5 at the Mombasa tea auction went for $18 after blending.

The leaders asked the Government to lower prices of farm inputs for the local farmers to afford them. Ms Nyarinda Moikobu, a coffee farmer, suggested that the cooperatives Act be reviewed and all cooperative societies' managements dissolved and fresh elections called. Former assistant minister Ondimu Kombo was told to prepare a proposal for a sugar factory in Gucha District.

He lamented that sugarcane growers from the area were not represented in Sony Sugar Company management board. Agricultural Finance Corporation managing director Omari Nyamweya challenged farmers to borrow money from the corporation. He said they could borrow as individuals or as a groups. Mr Nyamweaya pointed out that it was a condition that anybody borrowing from the institution must plant trees. All the 10 Gusii MPs attended the meeting.