MP Rejects Introduction Of Tea Plucking Machines

BOMET, Kenya, Oct 31- Konoin Constituency Member of Parliament Brighton Yegon has decried the decision by multinational tea companies in Bomet and Kericho counties to introduce plucking machines in their tea plantations.

Yegon said the companies have dismissed over 20 000 workers over petty reasons like unfounded disciplinary actions or in the guise of redundancy saying he viewed the move a step made to allow the mechanization.

However he said though he cannot totally deny that the world is going towards the mechanization direction; there should be a consideration of balancing it with the plight of workers who depend on such firms to earn a living.

However he said though he cannot totally deny that the world is going towards the mechanization direction; there should be a consideration of balancing it with the plight of workers who depend on such firms to earn a living.

He said the only benefit the two counties had from the companies was the employment of the thousands of locals who do not have alternative sources of earning wages amid the biting high cost of living.

“These companies neither consulted the workers nor involved the local leaders in public participation in their move to mechanize and yet the rates they pay to the county governments is only Sh. 250 per acre,” said Yegon.

“We view this move as injustice and neo-colonialism therefore we reject this with the strongest terms possible,” he added.

The Legislator said the land the companies occupied belonged to their forefathers and that if they did not benefit from them, the companies should move out and allow the locals to grow alternative crops.

He said the companies exported raw tea to their foreign countries for processing saying that move denied money circulation in Kenya and that can be viewed as exploitation.