The problems of former workers of the troubled Karuturi Flower Farm in Naivasha deepened yesterday after scores of them were injured and others arrested after clashing with police.
Trouble started after more than 800 workers – recently laid off after the company was put in receivership – stormed the farm offices, demanding their dues from the newly appointed liquidator manager. Riot police fired teargas at the workers.
Employee Peter Simuyu said three women were taken to Naivasha Subcounty Hospital with broken limbs.
Simuyu said the workers were peaceful and questioned the decision by police to use force, yet they had not refused to move out. “We have been kept in the dark for five months and we were inquiring from the liquidator about our dues, when we were attacked by the armed officers,” he said.
Ferdinand Juma, representative of the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union in Naivasha, condemned the attack, saying it was uncalled for. He accused the previous receiver’s managers and the current liquidator’s managers of failing to resolve the employees’ problems.
Juma said they were making plans to have the arrested workers released.
“Police officers decided to use teargas to disperse us, yet we were very peaceful and in the process several people were injured,” he said. The unionist said they will go to court to stop the planned eviction of the workers from their staff quarters.
Juma said the liquidator had planned to evict the sacked workers from their houses without paying their dues. “We shall fight this through our courts and also make sure the workers get all their dues, which amount to Sh227 million,” he said.