DISCONTENT is mounting between about 80 tea pickers which were employed by the James Finlays Tea Company to maintain the 400 acres Kabianga tea farm , located in rural location in Belgut Constituency in Kericho district.

According to the information reaching us, the workers have been declared redundants and told to leave their places of work on 1st July 2008. But the workers have complained that their terminal benefits are yet to be worked out.

The 400 Kabianga tea farm, which was for many years was part of the Kabianga Farmers Training School. When the school was closed decades ago, the farm rivert to the ownership of the County Council of Kipsigis as a public enterprise. The Council later leased its day to day management to the Kericho and Bureti based multinational tea company, former known as the Africa Highland products Limited .

But a source in Kericho has told us that the management agreement between the County Council of Kipsigis has come to an end. The company has declared its workers who for many years have been maintaining the tea farm redundant. But the workers have read a malice, saying the would not leave the facility until they are paid their terminal benefits

The Kericho branch officials of the Plantation and General Agricultural Workers union could not be reached for immediate comment over the issue.

The Kenya Tea Growers Association KTGA ., which usually handled and liaising between the workers and the union in the tea industry could not offer any comment immediately, though James Finlays Tea Company is its members.

.There were bitter complaints that the Kshs 25 million, which this tea farm is bagging every month is not helping in financing various projects being undertaken by the Council and that the money may be lining the pockets of individuals. The 400 tea farm was handed to the Council by the government so that the profits accrued from the sales of its green tea leaves could be utilized in financing development activities in Kericho district.

Some politicians have also voiced their concerned over the way the tea money from the farm was not being properly audited and utilized for the mutual benefits of the residents of the three constituencies in the district, namely Belgut, Ainamoi and Kipkellion. It was also not clearly stated that once the management contract between the Council of the multinational tea company come to an end, Kabianga tea farm will stop selling its green tea leaves to the company for processing or it will now send its tea to the nearby KTDA managed factory.

By Monday afternoon, both sides were not willing to talk about the burning issue. But the workers spokesman, but one of the workers severely criticized the union for not articulating their claims to the best of their knowledge. The Union Secretary General is Mr. francis Atwolli, who is also the outspoken secretary General of the [Cotu. K} was also not available for comment..

Efforts to obtain any comment from the James Finlays tea Company were fruitless.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:36:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: TROUBLE IS BREWING BETWEEN JAMES FINLAYS TEA COMPANY AND THE COUNTRY COUNCIL OF KIPSIGIS OVER KABIANGA FARM WORKERS