Squatters to sue State for forced labour

Over 5,000 squatters evicted from Government forests in the county have obtained a court order allowing them to sue the Nyayo Tea Zone Corporation.

The squatters have also been allowed to sue the State for subjecting them to slavery and forced labour.

Nyeri Chief Magistrate John Onyiego granted orders to squatters evicted from tea farms in Ragati, Hombe and Cheche, enabling them to file a suit against the corporation and Government.

"I order the applicants be granted leave to file and prosecute the intended suit on behalf of all those identifying themselves as Mathira Forest squatters," said Mr Onyiengo.

Beatrice Wanjiru, Mary Mumbi and Nicodemus Karanja (applicants) have filed the suit on behalf of 1,939 squatters from Ragati, 1,915 from Hombe and 1,874 from Cheche.

Through lawyer Charles King'ori, the petitioners are demanding compensation and a declaration that they were subjected to practices similar to slavery, exploitation and compulsory labour.

In his submission, Mr King'ori told the court that the 5,728 squatters were contracted by the then provincial administration to prepare land and establish tea farms in the forest between 1985 and 1987.

"Each was allocated half an acre of the subject land to prepare, plant and tend, an exercise they duly undertook," the lawyer noted.

King'ori submitted that when the work was completed, the petitioners were brutally and without notice evicted by the provincial administration.

"Despite the promise that their labour would be remunerated, the respondents to date have refused, failed or ignored to do the same," King'ori argued.

He claimed that the tea plantations had since been taken over by the corporation, which is using and benefiting from the estates.