Senator Murango Slams Digital Coffee Sales System, Warns of Sector Collapse
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Kirinyaga, Kenya – Senator James Murango has called on the national government to immediately suspend the rollout of the Digital Coffee Sales System, warning that the move threatens to cripple Kenya’s coffee industry and devastate smallholder farmers.
In a strongly worded statement, Murango outlined seven key concerns, including the system’s exclusion of cooperatives, which he says have anchored the sector for decades by offering credit, inputs, and market access to farmers.
He questioned how the system would fairly compensate individual farmers when coffee is traditionally aggregated and processed collectively, making it impossible to trace specific grades to specific growers. “It’s unworkable and unjust,” he said.
Murango warned that over 500 cooperative societies risk collapse under the new model and that small farmers would earn as little as Ksh 100 per sale due to high transaction fees and low volumes. He also noted the system removes farmers’ leverage in foreign exchange negotiations, reducing their earnings.
“This is a draconian policy imposed without consultation. It undermines the backbone of rural economies,” said Murango.
He urged the government to halt the system and engage directly with coffee farmers to find sustainable solutions. Without urgent action, he warned, many farmers may abandon coffee altogether, risking the collapse of a once-thriving export sector.
The senator’s remarks echo growing dissent in coffee-growing counties, where stakeholders say reforms must be practical, inclusive, and protect farmer livelihoods.
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