A daring gang of over 10 criminals raided Togonye Coffee Factory in Mwea East, Kirinyaga County on Sunday night, stealing 26 bags of dried coffee cherries valued at KSh 1.8 million. The thieves tied and injured two night guards before escaping with the high-value farm produce.
According to Patrick Gicobi, chairman of Urumandi Coffee Cooperative Society, the gang forcefully entered the factory’s main store in Murinduko Ward, cut open the storage facility, and loaded the bags of coffee onto a waiting lorry. The incident occurred under the cover of darkness, leaving farmers devastated.
Samuel Bundi, one of the night guards, recounted the traumatic experience, saying the gang ambushed him near the factory’s water pump. “They were more than 10 people, armed with crude weapons. They tied us up and stood guard while others carted away the coffee bags,” Bundi said. He raised the alarm after the gang drove off, and local residents came to untie them.
The stolen coffee had been fully dried and was scheduled for sale the following day, further intensifying the financial loss to the farmers. This is the third such incident at the Togonye factory, raising concerns about security in the region.
Urumandi Coffee Cooperative Society Vice Chairman Cyrus Murabai linked the theft to the rising market prices for coffee, which have made the commodity increasingly attractive to criminals. “Our two factories, Mururi and Togonye, have seen increased production and better prices, and this might be why we’re being targeted,” he noted.
Kirinyaga police officers visited the scene and have launched investigations into the incident. The management is now calling for enhanced security measures and swift justice to protect farmers’ livelihoods.
“This theft has wiped out months of hard work and patience from our farmers,” said Gicobi. “We urge the authorities to act quickly and bring the culprits to book before this becomes a routine.”
The incident adds to growing concerns over the security of agricultural produce in Kenya’s key farming regions.
