Nairobi, Jan. 4 - Political violence in Kenya has disrupted the coffee auction and left exporters stranded with their consignments, an official said Friday.
Suppliers are unable to bring their coffee from warehouses in Nairobi to the auction and transport to the port of Mombasa has been affected, said Charles Mbithi, a spokesman for Kenya Coffee Growers & Traders Association or KCG&TA.
The association said in a statement that "due to the prevailing security conditions and in consultation with the marketing agents," it has postponed Sale no. 12 from Jan. 8 -15.
The violence erupted after President Mwai Kibaki was accused of vote rigging to win the Dec. 27 election. The violence across the country has left at least 300 people dead and thousands have been displaced.
Mbithi said some of the auction staff are stranded in rural areas where they had gone to vote and some of the dealers who have traveled out of the country for the end of year holidays are afraid to come back.