By Joel Chacha/Kenya,Nairobi,
NAIROBI, Kenya, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Sen. Mutahi Kagwe has initiated a major policy shift by calling for urgent legislative reforms to ban the exportation of raw agricultural products. The proposed laws will compel all exporters to process commodities locally before they leave the country, a move aimed at generating millions of jobs for the youth and reducing their economic dependency on political handouts.
Speaking during the International Tea Day celebrations at the Momul Tea Factory in Kericho, CS Kagwe directed his appeal to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and the wider Parliament to spearhead the formulation of these statutory regulations. He argued that shipping raw produce essentially exports local employment opportunities to foreign countries, thereby enriching international processing industries at the expense of Kenyan citizens.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that structural value addition is the definitive solution to youth unemployment, noting that creating local industrial opportunities would prevent young people from relying on politicians for survival. The event, which was also attended by Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Kiprono Ronoh along with various county and sector leaders, served as a platform for the Ministry to outline its broader modernization strategy for the agricultural sector.
As part of the ongoing reforms within the tea sector specifically, CS Kagwe stated that Kenya must diversify from traditional bulk black CTC tea exports. The strategic focus will now shift toward premium, high-value products such as orthodox, green, purple, and specialty herbal teas, alongside branded consumer packages designed for the global market.
Addressing the governance challenges facing tea factories, the Cabinet Secretary defended the Tea Levy Regulations 2026, explaining that the funds are designated for market expansion, research, and institutional growth. He cautioned factory directors against using prolonged litigation to derail these state-led reforms and warned against financial mismanagement and unsustainable borrowing by factory leadership.
Furthermore, CS Kagwe challenged traditional land inheritance practices, urging parents to allocate farming land to their children while they are still alive. He explained that rigid cultural practices delay land access for the younger generation, which poses a serious threat to long-term national food security.
The Ministry commended the management of Momul Tea Factory for investing in a new orthodox tea processing line and expanding into e-commerce, citing it as an exemplary model for the future of agribusiness in Kenya. The government under President William Ruto maintains that transforming agriculture into a modern, value-added, and youth-led sector remains central to boosting farmer earnings and stabilizing the national economy.
