COTU wants land leases held by defiant tea firms cancelled

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli addresses participants from different parts of Africa during Regional Trade Union Training on August 6, 2018. [Denish Ochieng/Standard]

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) has called on governors in tea-growing counties to revoke 99-year land leases for multinational tea companies.

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli accused the firms of sacking workers after introducing tea harvesting machines.

"The companies are determined to replace human labour with machines," he said. Atwoli said the tea firms should be returned to counties.

 “Take over or task the Kenya Tea Development Agency to do the job,” he said.