Del Monte fruit growing and processing company is calling upon the government to protect them from possible extinction resulting from the tussle over farmland.
Members of Federation of Kenya Employers, Trade unionists and the company’s management expressed their concerns over the recent ceding of huge portions of land to the counties of Murang’a and Kiambu.
Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) board member Boniface Kavuvi said the lives of over 6,000 employees are at stake following a moratorium on its products in some of the European countries as a result of negative publicity.
“We are appealing to our friends in the media to be patriotic and tone down the negative publicity given to the company,” said Kavuvi.
Speaking during the signing of the collective bargain agreement between Del Monte, Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers(KUCFAW) and Kenya Plantation and Allied Workers Union (KPAWU), Robert Muthanga of FKE (Federation of Kenya Employers) said Del Monte is very synonymous in the growth of Thika town and should it die, the town too will be no more .
The union leaders also came to the defense of company workers over the accusations of security personnel on the abuse of human rights saying they had to protect the company’s property.
Deputy Secretary General KPAWU, Thomas Kipkemboi said the country stands to lose heavily should Del Monte go under and prevailed on the government to protect it.
“We should be looking for more arable land, so that we can employ more people who will work in those fields which in turn will benefit the towns of Murang’a, Kiambu and Thika through the taxes they pay,” said Kipkemboi.
