Sacked Dominion Farm workers demand Sh350m unpaid dues

Former employees of Dominion Farm in Siaya County demonstrate on November 30, 2017 demanding payment of their accumulated salary arrears amounting to Sh350 million. PHOTO | NELCON ODHIAMBO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The aggrieved demonstrators paralysed operations at the multimillion Yala Swamp project.
  • They disrupted transportation of sugarcane from the farm to the Western Kenya Sugar Company.
  • Efforts by Nation to reach the company’s top management for comment were futile as Mr Abir’s phone went unanswered.

Hundreds of former employees of Dominion Farm on Thursday staged a demo to demand payment of their accumulated salary arrears amounting to Sh350 million.

The aggrieved demonstrators, who paralysed operations at the multimillion Yala Swamp project, disrupted transportation of sugarcane from the farm to the Western Kenya Sugar Company.

They also accused the farm’s Director Chris Abir and his business associates of mismanaging the company.

The former workers, led by their Secretary-General Stephen also demanded that the company’s top management directly addresses them on the fate of their pay before allowing the huge trucks to ferry sugarcane to the factory.

CANE PROCEEDS

“We are not going to allow the management of the farm to continue selling sugarcane without settling our dues. We will not let them do so since we do not know where proceeds of sale of sugarcane go,” said Mr Ochieng.

He called on the national government and the Siaya County government to urgently intervene and address their plight.

“We are demanding for all our dues and termination letters by 8th of December. The management should stop taking our silence for granted and pay us. We will continue demonstrating until we receive all our [dues],” said Mr Ochieng’.

CALL NOT ANSWERED

Efforts by Nation to reach the company’s top management for comment were futile as Mr Abir’s phone went unanswered.

The farm suspended all its services early this month when it issued termination letters to all its 350 employees citing financial challenges and a hostile political environment.

The farm owes its workers and suppliers a total of Sh1.2 billion.

Leaders from the region have vowed to use legal measures to compel the farm to pay the arrears.