Five clerks working for KTDA Holdings Limited and private tea factories have been arrested in Bureti, Kericho County, over the alleged manipulation of weighing scales used to measure tea delivered by farmers. Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh said the arrests followed complaints from tea farmers and were made during an impromptu inspection by a multi-agency team on Thursday, September 17. Ronoh said the operation was carried out by the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), the Department of Weights and Measures and other agencies as part of intensified inspections of weighing equipment in tea-growing areas.

“We will not allow the weight of a farmer’s tea to be manipulated at the buying centre,” Ronoh said.

He said the government had directed the agencies to increase checks after farmers raised concerns about the accuracy of weighing equipment used at tea-buying centres.

“Following complaints raised by tea farmers, I directed the Tea Board of Kenya, working with the Department of Weights and Measures and multi-agency teams, to intensify inspections of weighing equipment across tea-growing areas,” Ronoh said.

According to Ronoh, the latest operation targeted tea-buying points in Bureti Sub-County, where the five clerks were arrested over alleged falsification of weighing scales. The operation is not the first of its kind. Ronoh said a similar exercise was conducted in Konoin, Bomet County, the previous month, resulting in the arrest of several clerks following complaints from farmers. The inspections are aimed at ensuring that the quantity of green leaf recorded at buying centres accurately reflects the amount delivered by farmers. The recorded weight is important because it forms part of the basis for tracking farmers’ deliveries and determining payments for their produce. Ronoh said the government would continue targeting practices that could result in farmers receiving payment for less tea than they actually delivered.

“The integrity of the weighing process is fundamental to protecting farmers’ earnings. Every kilogramme delivered must be accurately recorded and paid for. There will be no shortcuts,” he said.

The Tea Board of Kenya and the Department of Weights and Measures have previously conducted inspections of tea-buying centres in response to complaints about weighing practices. In a 2023 operation in Githunguri, Kiambu County, officials reported finding manipulated scales and said some farmers had been losing part of their recorded tea weight. The five clerks remain suspects as authorities investigate the alleged manipulation of the weighing equipment. The latest operation is part of broader government efforts to strengthen oversight in the tea sector and protect farmers’ returns.

The government has not disclosed the specific manner in which the scales in Bureti were allegedly falsified, the amount of tea potentially affected or whether additional arrests are expected. The suspects have not been convicted of any offence and will be subject to due process as investigations continue.