Multinational tea firms hit by land invasions and leaf thefts

A Tea farmer picking Tea at a farm in Kericho.PHOTO:[Wilberforce Okwiri,Standard] For the past three years, multinational tea firms operating in Nandi, Kericho, and Bomet counties have faced persistent land invasions and illegal tea harvesting by criminal gangs. The crisis has prompted the Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA), which represents large-scale tea producers (LSTPs), to raise alarm over the escalating threats to the tea industry. In a statement released on January 20, KTGA chairman Silas Njibwakale expressed deep concern over recent invasions at Eastern Produce Kenya's (EPK) tea estate in Nandi County and an attempted raid by armed individuals at Browns Sambret estate in Kericho County. "In Nandi County, organised criminal gangs have occupied crucial estate zones, including the Sitoi airstrip, crippling operations and placing lives and property at substantial risk," Mr Njibwakale said. The continued invasion of tea estates has reignited discussions on historical land injustices, with some local leaders attributing the unrest to unresolved grievances over land ownership. Njibwakale warned that if land invasions, theft, and property destruction continue, the economic consequences will be dire. "These illegal activities undermine the rule of law, destabilise investments, and threaten Kenya's tea sector, a key contributor to tax revenue and foreign exchange earnings," he said. He called on President William Ruto, the Ministry of Interior, and the Inspector General of Police to intervene urgently and restore security in the affected tea estates. "We remain committed to the long-term prosperity of the tea industry and the communities it supports. However, the prevailing security crisis demands immediate attention before it spirals out of control," he said. Joel Kimetto, Secretary General of the Kipsigis Community Clans Organisation, claims that multinational tea firms are operating on land that rightfully belongs to the Kipsigis community. The multinational tea firms hold land estimated to be about 800,000 acres, straddling Kericho and Bomet counties, on a 99-year leasehold. "In Kericho and Bomet, these tea plantations stand on stolen ancestral land. The British never bought the land. It was taken forcefully. The stolen property will always remain so. It should be returned in peace," Kimetto said. He cited the controversial sale of James Finlay's tea plantations to Sri Lanka's Browns Plc for Sh1.3 billion in 2023 and Browns' subsequent acquisition of Lipton's 11 estates and factories in May 2024 for an undisclosed amount. Kimetto argued that these transactions violated Lipton Tea and Infusions' policy, which states that all land negotiations must adhere to the principles of free, prior, and informed consent, contract transparency, and disclosure. "The sale of our ancestral land between two foreign companies ignored the Kipsigis community's bid to acquire the developments," he added. Kimetto disclosed that 101 partners from Britain were ready to collaborate with the Kipsigis in purchasing tea plantations. "The model would have provided up to 100 per cent community ownership of the farms held as a community trust and addressed historical land injustices once and for all," he said. Despite these concerns, Kipsigis Highlands Cooperative Society treasurer Joshua Terer, urged the local community to take up the 15 per cent shareholding offer in the Browns plantation it acquired from James Finlays. "We encourage our people to invest. The minimum shareholding is two shares, equivalent to Sh10,000. However, uptake remains slow, currently at around 7 per cent. We will launch a campaign across Kericho and Bomet to encourage participation," Ambassador Terer said. Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) Bomet branch secretary Jared Momanyi, on the other hand, linked the increasing tea theft incidents to mechanised tea harvesting, which has rendered thousands of workers jobless.

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