Man at the centre of a BBC expose on sex scandal in tea sector elected as KTDA director
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A man at the centre of a BBC expose on sex scandals in the multinational tea companies in the South Rift region has been thrust into an influential leadership position as KTDA director
A man at the centre of a BBC expose on sex scandals in the multinational tea companies in the South Rift region has been thrust into an influential leadership position as KTDA director.
John Chebochok was elected as a Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) zonal director in Kericho County on Friday despite his candidature having been disputed by several organizations and human rights groups.
Chebochok beat Philiph Tonui and K Serem in the election presided over by the Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that was marked by delays in delivery of election material in 21 counties.
He becomes the new director for the Tegat/Toror tea factory in charge of Ainamoi zone, according to results announced on Saturday by Mr Mike Kipngetich Langat the IEBC Returning officer for the zone.
The others elected in the area for Tegat//Toror factory are – Kemboi Geoffrey Kipkirui (Kapsaos zone), Philiph Kipkoech (Mosop zone), Japeth Chepkwony ( Kapsuser zone), Chepkirui Korir (Sosiot zone), Evans Kiplangat (Waldai zone).
In an undercover investigation, Chebochok was filmed with others and the recording was released in February 2023 by BBC’s Africa Eye and Panorama while allegedly sexually preying on female workers.
Chebochok who was a contractor at James Finlays Kenya, where he previously worked as a senior manager, was recorded while preying on workers and promising them promotions, and light duties while job seekers were promised employment.
Some of the victims came out to claim they were exploited by managers, supervisors and contractors and as a result, they had contracted sexually transmitted infections including HIV/Aids.
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But Chebochok along with his co-accused were not arrested nor prosecuted as the victims did not come out to record statements, according to the police.
Women in Tea Value Chain Association, the Kenya women parliamentarians, the Coalition Against Sexual Violence (CASV), a lobby group of 13 human rights organizations in Kenya, UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a leading alliance of trade unions, NGOs, and companies working together to promote human rights in global supply chains, Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP), a UK headquartered tea lobby group have come out in the open to protest the clearance of Chebochok to contest the leadership position.
They wondered how Chebochok was cleared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to contest despite the issues raised on integrity under chapter six on leadership.
The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) zonal directors’ elections administered by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have turned out to be a chaotic undertaking.
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