Government urges locals to end wrangles with multinationals

Bomet Tuesday June 20, 2023

KNA by Lamech Willy. A.

Bomet County security team led by County Commissioner Dr. Ahmed Omar, local leadership and the residents of Chepchabas in Konoin have come up with a resolution to end insecurity that had been witnessed at multinational tea farms under James Finlays and Ekatera.

Omar warned the residents against taking the law into their hands but instead embrace peaceful way of getting justice and mediating with institutions as mandated by the law in the country.

“I want to urge everyone here that any negotiation process that entails the presentation of your grievances comprises a structural process, all of your grievances can’t be solved within a day or a single meeting. It's a progressive thing,” said Omar.

The CC further informed residents that the unemployment issue is cutting across the entire Country and the multinational tea farms can only employ a certain number of residents and not everyone.

The meeting comes two weeks after Konoin Member of Parliament Brighton Yegon was questioned by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over the invasion of multinational tea companies in Kericho County.

Yegon, who was grilled in Bomet County on Friday 9th, stated that the violence emerged following concerns by a section of residents who claim that they lost their jobs after the adoption of tea plucking machines by tea factories in the region.

He however asked the residents to abide by the rule of law and that the process of getting justice has kicked off.

“I am urging Konoin residents to keep calm as we are working on amicable ways of solving the current problems at our hands, they should also abide by the rule of law and the process of getting justice by both parties has been initiated,” stated the area Member of Parliament.

He further revealed that he has raised the petition in the national assembly with the labor committee and that the Labor Cabinet Secretary is expected to tender his submission on the same in the coming days.

“I have petitioned this matter in parliament with the labor committee and our Cabinet Secretary for this docket is expected to tender his submission with members,” said Yegon.

Courtesy ; K. N. A