Police disperse protesting flower farm workers

By Antony Gitonga

Riot police used tear-gas to disperse striking flower farm workers in Naivasha.

The workers from Colour Crop Flower Farm were protesting against poor working condition and low wages for the second day. Yesterday, they blocked the farm’s main entrance on the North Lake Road.

They began their strike on Tuesday after the management declined to address their grievances.

The strike, which is the fourth in two weeks, came as the Ministry of Gender directed all flower farms to build day care centres for children.

The move follows reports that majority of rickets cases in Naivasha come from flower farm workers’ children.

Illegal baby care

According to the Naivasha Children Department, of the 57 farms in Naivasha, only four have day care centres.

"The farms make huge profits but they don’t want to construct baby care centres for their workers, who end up leaving the children in illegal care centres," the Children’s Officer Donald Kibabe told a workshop at the Disability Resource and Information Centre offices.

But a representative of the farms Mr David Kahagi defended the farms.

"It’s hard to construct baby care centres in every farm and the farmers have agreed to construct one at the focal point,"

And as they spoke, the placard-waving Colour crop workers paralysed services at the farm, as they sought audience with the management.

Speaking on phone, Naivasha Labour Officer Elizabeth Kamau said the impasse was being resolved.

"We have called all the parties involved and we expect to hear all the sides before reaching an amicable solution," she said.

This is the fourth strike in a fortnight by the workers complaining of low wages and poor working conditions.