Konoin MP grilled over Bomet tea farms invasion
Konoin MP Brighton Yegon is the latest leader from the South Rift region to be summoned by the detectives of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations based at Bomet over the invasion of multi-national tea firms.
Yegon arrived at the DCI offices and recorded a statement after attending a security meeting on the insecurity issue of multi-national tea companies following a summon from Bomet county commissioner Dr Ahmed Omar on Friday.
The second-term legislator was interrogated for almost four hours and shortly before 3 PM, he stepped out of the detectives and addressed the journalists who had camped at the offices since he arrived there.
“I have been called to record statements just like other leaders in the tea growing areas and I believe it is a fact-finding mission to know who is culpable and who is not for incitements,” Yegon said.
He said in his submission to the detectives, he made his facts right and that he was not involved in the incitement to the violence that led to the torching of tea-plucking machines.
The MP also said that he raised the issue of police officers using excessive force on the people especially bordering the tea companies saying that it is not a ‘curse’ to live around the tea estates.
Yegon called on the people of Bomet and Kericho counties who live near the companies to exercise restraints, preach peace and tone down issues that have been affecting them and give dialogue a chance.
“We are calling our people to be peaceful, vigilant and to report any cases of encroachment to the firm’s properties so that we can give room for dialogue with the representatives of the companies and have amicable solutions to the problems,” he remarked.
He said most of the issues being agitated by the members of the public towards the tea estates were handled by the Kericho task force who recently went around collecting views in the two counties concerning the conflicts between the locals and the firms.
“The issues that came out clearly are how to balance mechanization, profit and employment for our people. When the tea plucking machines were introduced it rendered many people jobless under redundancy, voluntary early retirement and even sacking. These are some of the issues addressed by the task force,” Yegon said.
He also pointed out that the issue of resurvey of the companies’ land as advised by the National Land Commission as well as corporate social responsibility and the relationship between areas bordering the firms need to be addressed on a serious note to avoid such incidents witnessed recently.
“I am happy that with all these issues, there is a window for leadership and Kenya Tea Growers Associations which comprises multinational companies to agree on issues affecting their people,” he stated.
The legislator revealed that they will have a round table discussion with all the leaders from all the two counties in the next two weeks
“We have an opportunity to meet the multinational companies’ officials after having their own meeting next week so that we can discuss the issues that have been bedevilling insecurity in both Kericho and Bomet counties. These are contemporary issues and we believe that it can be sorted out using dialogue so that peace can prevail,” Yegon said.
His summon comes at a time when Kericho governor Dr Eric Mutai, Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat and three Kericho MCAs and an activist were grilled at Nakuru DCI offices over the violence in the multi-national tea firms.
Also, Chepchabas MCA Wesley Kiprotich and his Kimulot counterpart Eric Kirui, both from Bomet county, were summoned over the same at Bomet DCI offices early this week. BY THE STAR
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