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Kenya
Iranian scandal rocks Kenya's tea industry

Debsh Tea Company, an Iranian firm linked to a businessman close to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, is the main buyer of Kenyan tea. It is now under fire for alleged corruption and risks bringing a whole section of the Kenyan economy down with it. [...]

Published on 18/12/2023 at 05:40 GMT Reading time 3 minutes

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Commodity traders, Politics

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Kenya
Chai Trading
Cup of Joe
Debsh Tea Co
Joseph Njuguna Wainaina
Joshua Gatimu
Kenya Tea Development Agency
Rigathi Gachagua
Uhuru Kenyatta
William Ruto

Kenya
After Sudan, tea traders fear losing new market in Iran

Diplomatic tensions between Kenya and its partners are having a cascading effect on the tea industry. Tehran is impatient to see the Kenyan authorities take action against the local intermediaries of the Iranian company Debsh Tea, which is implicated in a corruption case.

Subscribers only Commodity traders, Diplomacy 20.03.2025

Workers process purple tea leaves at a workshop in Muranga County, Kenya, on 7 May 2024.

Kenya
Iranian government looks into its Kenyan tea imports in Nairobi

The dismissal of deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has led to a change in the key figures in the tea industry. Tehran is taking advantage of this to strengthen its review into its supply chains.

Subscribers only Commodity traders, Diplomacy 10.02.2025

Kenya
Power struggle looms as Kenya's tea task force tackles unsold stock

President William Ruto's administration has set up a task force to find the causes of Kenya's unsold tea and how to fix the crisis. Not everyone shares the views of Tea Board of Kenya chair, Jacob Kahiu.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 20.12.2024

Kenya
Battle for KTDA leadership posts in full swing

Elections to vote for the directors of Kenya Tea Development Agency's 54 factories began in May. Campaigning has been fierce, involving legal challenges and, in a bid to secure the youth vote, social media.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 21.08.2024

Kenya
Ruto speeds up creation of national tea brand

State House is compiling a list of representatives to sit on a new 'tea tribunal'. Multinational trading houses are watching nervously from the sidelines.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 06.06.2024

Kenyan president William Ruto in July 2022 in Nairobi.

Kenya
KTDA endeavours to sell surplus stocks to world's tea giants

Kenya's leading tea consortium is in talks with the major international brands to persuade them to buy surplus tea stocks that have been piling up in Kenyan warehouses for almost two years following the authorities' introduction of a floor price.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 16.05.2024

Kenya
Agri-food giant Sasini grabs greater share of tea production

One of Kenya's largest companies, Sasini, is taking advantage of the Kenya Tea Development Agency's difficulties to increase its market share and recruit new producers.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 05.01.2024

A Sasini employee in a tea field near Musereita, Kenya, on 21 October 2022.

Kenya
Isolated deputy president Gachagua curbs his lofty ambitions

Kenya's deputy president is losing support within the ruling party, where some are plotting to oust him, and is seeking appeasement by toning down his ambitions.

Subscribers only Politics 20.11.2023

Kenya's President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua in Nairobi, Kenya, 4 September 2023.

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya's deputy president is doing what he can to make up for coffee farmers' loss of financial support from multinational traders. But the public funds recently made available may not be enough to keep producers sweet.

Subscribers only Politics, Business 26.10.2023

Kenya
Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's zealous coffee reforms, aimed at giving Kenyan firms a larger share of the spoils, have hit multinationals like Neumann Kaffee Gruppe hard. They are also part of the government's attack on the interests of ex-president Kenyatta.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 18.09.2023

Samples of coffee beans sit at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange on 11 June 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.

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Kenya
Chai Trading
Cup of Joe
Debsh Tea Co
Joseph Njuguna Wainaina
Joshua Gatimu
Kenya Tea Development Agency
Rigathi Gachagua
Uhuru Kenyatta
William Ruto

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Kenya
Iranian scandal rocks Kenya's tea industry

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create a free account

Set up email notifications for these topics

Kenya
After Sudan, tea traders fear losing new market in Iran

Kenya
Iranian government looks into its Kenyan tea imports in Nairobi

Kenya
Power struggle looms as Kenya's tea task force tackles unsold stock

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Battle for KTDA leadership posts in full swing

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Ruto speeds up creation of national tea brand

Kenya
KTDA endeavours to sell surplus stocks to world's tea giants

Kenya
Agri-food giant Sasini grabs greater share of tea production

Kenya
Isolated deputy president Gachagua curbs his lofty ambitions

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

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Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Kenya
Kenyan tea producers call for government help with tax issues

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Ruto-Kenyatta tea war spreads to KTDA

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About Africa Intelligence

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Indigo Publications' websites

Cameroon, Central African Republic Between business and politics, the secrets of Antoine Ndzengue's rise

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Kenya Iranian scandal rocks Kenya's tea industry

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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Set up email notifications for these topics

Kenya After Sudan, tea traders fear losing new market in Iran

Kenya Iranian government looks into its Kenyan tea imports in Nairobi

Kenya Power struggle looms as Kenya's tea task force tackles unsold stock

Kenya Battle for KTDA leadership posts in full swing

Kenya Ruto speeds up creation of national tea brand

Kenya KTDA endeavours to sell surplus stocks to world's tea giants

Kenya Agri-food giant Sasini grabs greater share of tea production

Kenya Isolated deputy president Gachagua curbs his lofty ambitions

Kenya Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Kenya Kenyan tea producers call for government help with tax issues

Spotlight | Kenya Ruto-Kenyatta tea war spreads to KTDA

Asia, Kenya, Middle East Top tea consortium finds new outlets in Middle East and Asia

Set up email notifications for these topics

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Cameroon, Central African Republic
Between business and politics, the secrets of Antoine Ndzengue's rise

Senegal
Paris and Dakar mull defence relations

Kenya
Iranian scandal rocks Kenya's tea industry

Kenya
After Sudan, tea traders fear losing new market in Iran

Kenya
Iranian government looks into its Kenyan tea imports in Nairobi

Kenya
Power struggle looms as Kenya's tea task force tackles unsold stock

Kenya
Battle for KTDA leadership posts in full swing

Kenya
Ruto speeds up creation of national tea brand

Kenya
KTDA endeavours to sell surplus stocks to world's tea giants

Kenya
Agri-food giant Sasini grabs greater share of tea production

Kenya
Isolated deputy president Gachagua curbs his lofty ambitions

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya
Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Kenya
Kenyan tea producers call for government help with tax issues

Spotlight | Kenya
Ruto-Kenyatta tea war spreads to KTDA

Asia, Kenya, Middle East
Top tea consortium finds new outlets in Middle East and Asia