A man at the centre of a BBC expose on sex scandals in the multinational tea companies in the South Rift region has been thrust into an influential leadership position in the tea sector.
John Chebochok was elected as a Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) zonal director in Kericho County on Friday despite his candidature having been disputed by several organisations and human rights groups.
Chebochok beat Philiph Tonui and K Serem in the election presided over by the Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that was marked by delays in delivery of election material in 21 counties.
He becomes the new director for the Tegat/Toror tea factory in charge of Ainamoi zone, according to results announced on Saturday by Mr Mike Kipngetich Langat the IEBC Returning officer for the zone.
The others elected in the area for Tegat//Toror factory are - Kemboi Geoffrey Kipkirui (Kapsaos zone), Philiph Kipkoech (Mosop zone), Japeth Chepkwony ( Kapsuser zone), Chepkirui Korir (Sosiot zone), Evans Kiplangat (Waldai zone).
In an undercover investigation, Chebochok was filmed with others and the recording released in February 2023 by BBC’s Africa Eye and Panorama while allegedly sexually preying on female workers.
Chebochok who was a contractor at James Finlays Kenya, where he previously worked as a senior manager, was recorded while preying on workers and promising them promotions, and light duties while job seekers were promised employment.
Sexually transmitted infections
Some of the victims came out to claim they were exploited by managers, supervisors and contractors and as a result, they had contracted sexually transmitted infections including HIV/Aids.
But Chebochok along with his co-accused were not arrested nor prosecuted as the victims did not come out to record statements, according to the police.
KTDA Elections: Farmers protest delayed voting at Kienja polling station in Kirinyaga County
Women in Tea Value Chain Association, the Kenya women parliamentarians, the Coalition Against Sexual Violence (CASV), a lobby group of 13 human rights organisations in Kenya, UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a leading alliance of trade unions, NGOs and companies working together to promote human rights in global supply chains, Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP), a UK-headquartered tea lobby group have come out in the open to protest the clearance of Chebochok to contest the leadership position.
They wondered how Chebochok was cleared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to contest despite the issues raised on integrity under chapter six on leadership.
By press time, Chebochok was not available for an interview for this story as his phone had been switched off.
The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) zonal directors’ elections administered by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have turned out to be a chaotic undertaking.
In Kisii and Nyamira counties, members of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) protested a move by IEBC to hold the elections on a Saturday which is their day of worship.
In Nyamira, all factories under Zone 10 conducted their elections. They are Kebirigo, Sanganyi, Gianchore, Tombe, Nyankoba and Nyansiongo.
In Kisii, factories under Zone 11 namely Nyamache, Kiamokama and Ogembo also conducted their elections.
"We members of the SDA strictly adhere to the Sabbath. It is unfair to put elections on such a date when most farmers are going to church," said Mr Emmanuel Nyamanga, a farmer.
The tea directors' election in Mount Kenya kicked off smoothly on Saturday after it failed to take off on Friday due to lack of electoral materials. However, the elections were marked with a low turnout.
Polling stations opened at 7am but at 10 am, only a handful of farmers had shown up at the polling stations to cast votes.
In Nyeri, elections started at exactly 8 am with hundreds in Othaya coming out to vote for directors of the zone which consists of four factories- iriani, Chinga, Gathuthi and Gatugi.
Speaking to Nation, a returning officer of the IEBC said that they did not experience any hiccups during the exercise.
"The only problem that we faced in the morning was concerning a voter who missed her name in the register at the Kianjue polling centre," he said, adding that the issue has since been sorted.
In Meru, farmers welcomed the timely delivery of election materials after the failed exercise on Friday.
In 21 counties, more than 600,000 tea farmers voted to elect new KTDA directors.
Late delivery of mixed-up election material, missing names in the registrar and typographical errors in the names and national identity card numbers were some of the issues that characterized the election in the South Rift region.
In areas where the materials were delivered late, voting went on way past 10 pm.
Mr Erick Chepkwony, the KTDA Board member and chairman of Kapset tea factory in Konoin, Bomet County said it was regrettable that the delivery of election material was delayed.
“We experienced hiccups due to late supply of election material by IEBC,” Mr Chepkwony said.
Mr Chepkwony who is seeking re-election as Kapsinendet zonal director said the small-scale tea growers had been peaceful despite the long hours they have had to endure at the polling stations in the tea growing belts countrywide.
“The integrity of the process has come into question following the long delays,” Mr Kiprotich said.
Small-scale tea growers in Kericho, Bomet, Nakuru and Narok counties expressed their frustrations over the delay in opening polling stations.
Mr Robert Korir, the chairman of KT34 tea buying centre in Chepchabas, Konoin constituency of Bomet County said hundreds of farmers had converged at the polling station from early morning and were past mid-day still camping in the hope the election material would be delivered.
“It is unfortunate that this has got off on a bad note with farmers angered by the delay and lack of information from the electoral body and the agency. Had the mlolongo system been used, we would have concluded the poll by now” Mr Korir said.
Ms Catherine Ketoek, a tea grower said the elderly were the most affected as they had been brought to the polling stations early in the morning in the hope they would vote and be returned to their homes.
“Unfortunately, women and the elderly have had to camp at the buying centres with some having returned to their homes to attend to domestic chores and there is no indication they will return” Ms Ketoek said.
Mr Simon Chepkwony and Mr Philip Koech, speaking on behalf of the farmers in the region, said some of them had taken a few hours off from their workstations to vote, but had been forced to return without casting their ballots due to the delays.
“It is unfortunate we have to go back to work without casting our votes and we do not know whether the ballot papers will be delivered at all in the polling stations or the election will be called off” Mr Chepkwony said.
Reported by George Munene, Mercy Mwende, Vitalis Kimutai and Ruth Mbula
