NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 26 – Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Wycliffe Oparanya has urged coffee farmers to verify the authenticity of their debts before submitting them for government waiver, as the state begins rolling out a multi-billion shilling relief program.Speaking at a farmers’ sensitization forum in Kirinyaga County, Oparanya emphasized that only legitimate claims would be considered in the ongoing debt relief process.The CS revealed that verified applications from coffee cooperative societies have so far reached KSh 6.8 billion, with the government allocating KSh 2 billion to begin partial settlement.“We must ensure accountability in this process so that only genuine debts are addressed,” he said.The debt waiver initiative is part of wider reforms aimed at reviving Kenya’s coffee sector, which remains a major foreign exchange earner. Oparanya noted that the government is targeting an increase in production to 150,000 metric tonnes by 2028.However, farmers and leaders have continued to push for faster action, warning that the debt burden remains a major obstacle to productivity and sector growth.