Coffee farmers across the country are set for a Ksh2 billion debt waiver after President William Ruto confirmed the allocation in the 2026/27 financial year budget.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Speaking during the launch of the Coffee Revival Programme in Kirinyaga County on Monday, June 22, President William Ruto said he will sign off on the funds on Tuesday, June 23, when he assents to the budget that was passed by Parliament.

“In the budget I will sign tomorrow, there is Ksh2 billion to pay the debts for coffee farmers. The money you have asked for will be ready tomorrow, not at the end of the month,” he said.

He added that after his signing, the debt waiver programme would be implemented by Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya and Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe.

📌 What You Need to Know

The announcement came in response to an appeal by Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, who asked the President to address concerns from local farmers over delayed debt relief.

“The Governor of Kirinyaga here has asked me to say a word on the debt issue and she has been pushing me. Every time we meet, she tells me about coffee farmers. When I call her, she brings up the issue of coffee before I even say what I called about,” Ruto said.

Waiguru has been pushing for the waiver of Ksh1.06 billion owed by 14 coffee cooperative societies in Kirinyaga, arguing that the debts continue to hamper efforts to revive the sector and improve farmer earnings.

According to Ruto, the government had also disbursed Ksh2 billion for coffee debt waivers in the previous budget, and he further pledged to allocate additional funds next year to clear all remaining debts owed by coffee farmers nationwide.

In addition, the President has directed that coffee farmers be paid within five days of crop delivery to address years of delays that kept farmers waiting up to six months for payments.

His announcement comes against the backdrop of mounting pressure from coffee farmers over the pace and scale of debt relief.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke