The Deputy President strongly believes that his late brother, former Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua, was poisoned by powerful cartels operating in the coffee sub-sector.
Gachagua revealed that his brother was in good health until he suddenly fell ill and passed away on February 24, 2017, while receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer at London’s Royal Marsden Hospital.
“Our family firmly believes, and we have evidence to support it, that Nderitu Gachagua was poisoned by these individuals,” expressed Gachagua during an interview with Inooro TV.
“Following his interaction with them, he transformed from a healthy person to ailing, and we are convinced they caused harm.”
Tasked with leading reforms, the Deputy President chaired a two-day national coffee summit aimed at dismantling the cartels that have infiltrated the sector and profited at the expense of farmers.
The gathering, held in Meru and attended by leaders and stakeholders from across the country, reached several resolutions.
Re-establishment of the Coffee Board of Kenya
One such resolution involved the re-establishment of the Coffee Board of Kenya, as outlined in the proposed Coffee Bill 2023.
The construction of coffee aggregation centers to enhance coffee quality and the empowerment of the Pest Control Board to regulate pesticides and combat coffee diseases were also included in the proposals.
A select team will review these recommendations before their implementation within the next 90 days.
Emphasizing the danger posed by the cartels, the Deputy President pointed out that governors were deliberately excluded from the process, with three cabinet secretaries—Mithika Linturi (Agriculture), Moses Kuria (Trade), and Simon Chelugui (Cooperatives)—chosen to spearhead the reforms.
“This battle cannot be won by governors alone; it requires the combined efforts of the President and myself. These individuals are dangerous and capable of extreme actions, even murder,” he asserted.
“The President entrusted me with this responsibility because I possess more resources, including security, to confront these unscrupulous individuals.”
