Trade Unionists have called on the government to protect fruit juice processor DelMonte Kenya Ltd from machinations by politicians and county government agents who have been eyeing the investor’s land.
The members from Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) and Kenya Plantation and Allied Workers Union (KPAWU) said the country risks losing billions of shillings in tax and foreign exchange if the company collapses.
They said the firm’s land is under threat of disappearing after ceding over 2, 100 acres of land to the Kiambu and Murang’a county governments, with other parties demanding more.
This, they said, has reduced the company’s farm land, with thousands of employees’ jobs under threat of going up in smoke. The company has over 6,000 direct employees and 28,000 indirect jobs.
The Company’s outgoing MD Stergios Gkaliamoutsas said they have already ceded some 1,400 acres and 700 acres to Murang’a and Kiambu County governments respectively.
He lamented that urbanization and converting agricultural land into real estate is threatening agricultural production in the country thereby calling for protection of national resources to save agriculture.
“Conversion of agricultural land into real estate is a complex issue that in future will have far-reaching social economic consequences,” said Stergios.
They were speaking during the signing of collective bargaining agreements between Del Monte Ltd and the two unions.
Thomas Kipkemboi, the Deputy Secretary General KPAWU told the government to give the company a conducive operating space.
He added that Kiambu and Murang’a towns are dependent on the company and should it die, Thika town and several others in Murang’a will be no more.
“This company should be protected from these selfish individuals at all costs. They are eying its prime land and if not careful, the frustrations will lead to the company’s death and this will have a negative impact on the company.
The company which is the largest single exporter of Kenyan products paid Sh1.4 billion tax last year, with over Sh2.7 billion in annual salaries among several other corporate social responsibility projects that it has initiated across the country.
The CBA entails that the workers of the company receive a 9 percent pay rise this year and another 8 percent next year.
By Muoki Charles
