The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has directed the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to open investigations into the allegations of sexual exploitations in two tea plantations in Kericho county.
The directive comes following the revelation from BBC expose detailing how female employees of Unilever and James Finlay & Co tea plantations, allege to have been subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse by the Supervisors and Managers of the tea firms. The DPP asked the IG to present the investigation file to the Office within seven days.
“These grave allegations are contrary to sections 4, 5, 6, 23(1), and 26 of the Sexual Offences Act as well as Section 6 (1) of the Kenya Employment Act,” said Haji in a Wednesday letter addressed to Police IG Japhet Koome.
“Accordingly, pursuant to Article 157 (4) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, you are hereby directed to undertake comprehensive investigations into the allegations of rape, sexual assault, compelled or indecent acts, sexually transmitted disease, as highlighted by the BBC Africa Eye Documentary.”
Haji’s directive comes even after the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) affiliated to Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) demanded that the James Finlay and Unilever tea companies cease using contractors to outsource labor in the country.
KPAWU instead wants the tea firms to offer direct employment to all contracted employees.
By Wanjiru Mbaru