The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has appealed to stakeholders in the tea sector to allow them the chance to address concerns regarding John Chebochok, recently elected as a director of Tegat/Toror Tea Factory in the Ainamoi Electoral Area.
In a statement, KTDA pointed to Chebochok’s involvement in a sex scandal exposed by the BBC’s investigation titled “Sex for Work” as the reason for addressing all raised concerns before confirming the newly elected directors. KTDA assured stakeholders that unethical conduct would not be condoned, emphasizing its potential to undermine progress in the sector.
“We call upon all our tea buyers, stakeholders, and partners to allow us to work with all the concerned players and authorities to resolve concerns raised regarding his nomination due to the legal and procedural complexities outlined above. We shall continuously update you on this since the process of confirming the Directors is yet to be completed,” the statement read in part.
“KTDA has a zero-tolerance policy on gender-based violence, sexual harassment, corruption, and any other such unethical behavior and we condemn such acts that pose a great risk not only to Tegat Tea Factory Company but also to the entire tea sector in Kenya.”
The agency also distanced itself from overseeing the election of tea factory directors, explaining that the role was delegated to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which also cleared all candidates to run in the elections.
KTDA confirmed that it issued a statement on June 25th urging independent bodies to ensure that those cleared were not of questionable character or unethical behaviour.
“Each factory Company is an independent entity with its own memorandum and articles of association that stipulate how the directors’ elections are to be done. He was elected by one of the six electoral areas of the factory on June 28, 2024 and the shareholders of the factory will have to make a final decision at a special general meeting on whether to accept him as a factory director or not.”
The KTDA’s statement comes after Finlays and Lipton announced that they would stop purchasing the factory until the situation was resolved.
“LIPTON Teas and Infusions had been the largest buyer of tea from the Ainamoi zone. In light of these developments, we have immediately ceased purchasing from the Tegat/Toror factory and we are urging our industry partners to do the same until appropriate measures are taken to address this serious issue,” Lipton said.
“Please be aware that we will not be able to continue to purchase tea from Toror Tea Factory while Mr. Chebochok holds the role of Director. We are monitoring this situation closely and trust you will take swift and decisive action on this matter. We look forward to receiving your urgent response,” read a statement from Finlays.
Finlays reported 1,527 cases of sexual harassment among its employees over the previous five years in 2023. Ninety-two percent of this has been resolved, with the remaining cases still pending in court.
