4 Jul 2024

Fairtrade statement on the election of John Chebochok within the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) as a zonal director of Toror/Tegat Tea Factory

We echo the deep concerns expressed by Fairtrade Africa and other advocates about the election of Mr. John Chebochok within the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) as a Zonal Director for Ainamoi of the Toror/Tegat Tea Factory. We became aware of the candidacy of Mr. Chebochok in late June, and Fairtrade Africa worked through local engagement with various stakeholders to raise concerns. The Tea Board of Kenya subsequently wrote to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to request the postponement of the elections until the concerns were addressed, however the election proceeded on 29 June.

We applaud the advocacy conducted by local activists and organisations – including the Coalition Against Sexual Violence comprising 13 Kenyan NGOs – to try to prevent the candidacy of a person who has had very serious and credible allegations levied against him of sexually exploiting women during his employment in the Kenyan tea sector, as revealed in a BBC Panorama documentary in early 2023.

While KTDA Ltd is a Fairtrade certified trader, as checked by the independent certifier FLOCERT, the subsidiary factory and satellite factory related to the zone in question (Tegat Tea Factory Ltd and Toror Tea Factory) are not Fairtrade certified. We share the serious concerns expressed by Fairtrade Africa and advocates about what this election will mean for the 600,000 smallholder tea farmers in the sector. Tea workers deserve to be safe from harassment and exploitation, and women are especially vulnerable. The election of Mr. Chebochok sends a dangerous signal that such alleged behaviour is in any way tolerated, which is even more disappointing after the wake-up call that the BBC Panorama programme initiated in the tea industry.

We stand with tea workers and with local and international advocates who are calling for swift action to remove Mr. Chebochok from this position of power, in light of the public allegations against him. We urge KTDA to take seriously the concerns expressed, and to exert their influence to ensure Mr. Chebochok is removed as a director.