A significant player has passed away in a case brought by present and past employees who were sexually exploited at two international tea companies in the South Rift region.
According to family members, Dr. Godfrey Onyango, head of the Justice and Environment Foundation, was discovered dead on Friday night at his house in Lanet, Nakuru county.
He was involved in the request made by present and past employees of James Finlays and Ekaterra (previously Unilever), who operated in the counties of Bomet and Kericho, for the two businesses to acknowledge responsibility for subjecting them to sexual exploitation by managers and supervisors.
Prior to being discovered dead in his living room at his home at around 5.30 pm, Dr. Onyango had not reported feeling ill, according to his family.
Mr Tom Mboya Onyango, his younger brother, told Nation.Africa that he did not have any visible injuries.
“I found him, having collapsed and died in the house. He was okay in the morning. I checked on him at around 11am,” he said, adding he was alone.
The body was transported to Umash Funeral Home in Nakuru.
Dr. Onyango, who is survived by a widow and three children, was actively interested in environmental and human rights concerns, particularly at work, which brought him into contact with individuals who had been sexually exploited by their employers.
He called the Nation on Monday and asked to remain anonymous in a string of articles about the sexual exploitation and difficult working conditions in the tea sector.
“There is so much going on. I do not want to talk about it. But do not use any of my statements in your story. Kindly talk to wakili (lawyer) Gilbert Kemboi,” he said.
At least 50 current and former workers of the two companies have, through Kericho advocate Gilbert Kemboi of Kemboi Chambers Advocates, written demand notices to the multinationals, demanding that they admit liability or be sued for compensation for violation of their basic rights.
An expose by the BBC on February 20 revealed that contractors, managers and supervisors were secretly recorded preying on female workers so they could keep their jobs or be assigned light duties.
“Finlay’s Kenya Ltd and Ekaterra PLC have violated several provisions of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Employment Act, 2007, Sexual Offences Act, 2006, and Occupational Safety and Health Act 2007. The Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) 1981 and the International Labour Organization Convention No.111 and 115” Mr Kemboi stated in a recent press briefing.
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