MPs want tea estate labour contracts terminated
A tea plucking machine in operation at a tea estate in Kericho county. A parliamentary panel investigating sexual harassment in tea plantations wants estates to terminate contracts for outsourcing labour and women to be given supervisory duties.
A parliamentary panel investigating sexual harassment in tea plantations wants estates to terminate contracts for outsourcing labour and women to be given supervisory duties.
The National Assembly Labour Committee also asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to quickly identify victims and perpetrators of sexual harassment, expressing fear that culprits may walk scot-free.
Many victims have not recorded statements with the police.
The lawmakers want more women to be hired as supervisors to ensure gender inclusivity and reduce cases of male workers preying on their female juniors.
In the report tabled in Parliament on Thursday, the Runyenjes MP Eric Muchangi-led team says it found evidence of sexual harassment in some tea estates in Kericho.
Four people
The vice, the MPs said, is rife due to the scarce employment opportunities.
“The committee finds credible evidence of sexual harassment in some tea estates. Though there are sexual harassment policies, training and reporting channels, reporting is minimal. It makes it difficult to address the incidences,” the report says.
The investigation by the committee was prompted by Kericho Woman Rep Beatrice Kemei, who in February, sought a statement regarding sexual harassment in tea estates.
In the BBC Africa Eye expose two companies – James Finlay and Ekaterra Lipton – are reported to having many cases of sexual harassment and exploitation.
Four people, two in each of the companies, were reported as perpetrators.
They are Jeremiah Koskei and Samuel Yebei (Ekaterra) and John Chebochok and John Asava of James Finlays.
James Finlays shop stewards, who appeared before the committee in camera, gave harrowing tales of the management being fully aware of sexual harassment and doing nothing.
They told MPs that they fear reporting for fear of victimisation.
Shop stewards at Ekaterra said managers were not being truthful by saying they are not aware of the incidents.
They accused the management of working with police to frustrate reporting of the cases.
