Kakuzi PLC, a food producer and exporter, has dismissed allegations it has been violating the rights of its employees.
This comes a day after UK newspaper, the Sunday Times, highlighted some of the grievances that the firm’s employees, as well as its community members, said they have been going through since 2019.
British retailer Tesco suspended purchase of avocados and macadamia nuts from Kakuzi, following the claims from a law firm Leigh Day.
According to Leigh Day, 79 Kenyans had launched a legal claim in the High Court in London, alleging that the security guards employed by Kakuzi committed human rights abuses.
However, in a statement on Monday, Kakuzi dismissed the claims saying that the article was intended to damage its reputation and by association, its customers.
“The Sunday Times article refers to a British Estate in Kenya. We are not a British estate. We are a proudly Kenyan Company with 1,300 shareholders, the majority being Kenyan, and have been trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange for over 50 years.” Kakuzi said.
It added that the same law firm had dropped the court claims against Kakuzi in July and that the same claims are meant to run a smear campaign against it.
In the case of the tragic death of the young man highlighted by the newspaper, the firm said that it settled the matter with the deceased’s legal representatives as appointed by the Kenyan Courts on the civil matter.
The exporter added that some of the claims raised can well be heard and settled in Kenyan courts, dismissing Leigh Day’s claims that the Kenyan legal system is incapable of dealing with these cases.
Kakuzi, located in Murang'a has further requested the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to probe the allegations of criminality.
“…to this end, we have requested the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate the allegations of criminality and take action in accordance with the law.”
It added that; "Kakuzi does what you would expect a responsible employer to do. We investigate the cause, cooperate with the authorities to ensure justice for those affected, make amends where we can, and learn for the future."
