Security guards detain Standard Group journalist at a Finlays property in Kericho

Security guards at one of the Finlays Kenya Limited properties in Kericho have detained a Standard Group journalists who was following a developing story.

Nikko Tanui, a reporter, was in the company of Dickson Sang - an official of the Kenya Agricultural Plantation and Workers Union (KPAWU) - and was following a story on the closure of Chemirei and Tarakwet flower farms.

Stephen Scott, the Finlays Flowers General Manager, had on October 19 announced that the company’s directors had decided to shut down flower farming operations on the two farms a year earlier than it had earlier communicated to the workers.

The shutdown would see some 1,100 workers lose their job by December 25, 2019.

Mr Tanui said no one has told them reasons for being detained at the facility but the security guards were making frantic calls to their superiors to announce the arrest.

“I was taking to Dickson, who is an official of the workers’ union about the impending closure of the flower farms. On reaching the barrier to the company, we were stopped and detained at the security desk,” said Tanui.

A video taken by the reporter, show the security guards making calls and one of them attempting to snatch a phone from Tanui.

More details to follow...