UK responds to sexual harassment of workers in Kenyan tea farms
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UK government responds to sexual harassment of workers in Kenyan tea farms calling for thorough investigations
UK government responds to sexual harassment of workers in Kenyan tea farms calling for thorough investigations.
Through the British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott, the United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 22, warned that the country considers sexual exploitation a serious offence.
The statement by the UK government comes after the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Monday, February 20, 2023, released a documentary detailing the sexual exploitation clique of male bosses who targeted female workers at UK tea firms operating in the country.
“Sexual abuse and exploitation has no place in society,” she warned while asking the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to get to the bottom of the matter.
Marriott urged the companies concerned to protect their workers and cooperate with the police in ensuring that the suspects are brought to book.
“I am concerned by the allegations of appalling behavior made in this documentary – sexual abuse and exploitation has no place in society.
“I welcome the commitment by the companies to investigate, cooperate with the Kenyan authorities, and take action to protect staff in Kenya,” Jane Marriott noted.
Parliament launches investigation on alleged harassment of tea workers after BBC expose
The UK-based farm, James Finlay, which operates in Kenya on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, announced that it had sacked two contractors who were featured in the BBC exposé.
“We have terminated our agreement with John Chebochok’s company Sislo Holdings. All 300 contractors who were working with us through Sislo have been offered direct employment to ensure their livelihoods are not affected – 98 percent have accepted,” noted the firm in a statement.
James Finlay explained the fired employees were not allowed to return to the company without legal provisions of the land.
“We have also suspended John Asava. Both individuals have been barred from entering James Finlay Kenya,” James Finlay noted.
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