The residents' protests against London Distillers Kenya Limited in Athi River, Machakos County on April 9, 2018 were stage managed.
London Distillers Kenya Limited's managing director Avin Galot said the protests were organized and financed by Edemann Property Limited in conjunction with Ms. Jev Communications Limited, an event, advertising and Public Relations Company which sent press invites to media houses.
"Our attention has been drawn to articles published on 10th April 2018 in the mainstream print media about pollution from our distillery and the confrontations that occurred on the previous day at our distillery in Athi River between our staff, hired unruly protestors and the police," Galot said on a public notice.
Galot said Edemann Property Limited hired and transported protestors in seven buses and one road show lorry to the factory who disrupted operations and stoned workers leading to injuries.
The multi-billion shillings London Distillers Kenya Ltd (LDK), a manufacturer of alcoholic spirits and Edemann Property Ltd, a multi-billion shillings real estate construction firm are at each other’s throats.
Edemann Property Ltd accuses the distiller of engaging in environmental pollution while on the other hand, London Distillers Kenya Limited accuses the former of encroaching on industrial land to construct residential houses.
At stake are properties worth billions of shillings belonging to both corporate organizations with London Distillers demanding for the demolition of more than 2000 units of residential houses belonging to Edemann Property worth more than Sh14 billion.
On the other hand, residents and house owners in the Edemann Property’s Great Wall Garden Estate and local residents through their Residential Association are demanding for the closure of LDK’s alcohol distilling factory worth billions of shillings - that is after NEMA issued it with closure orders last year over environmental pollution that were not complied with.
Police were forced to shoot in the air and hurl teargas at the rioters to disperse the demonstrators at London Distillers on the fateful day.
Edemann Property Ltd is yet to respond to the allegations.
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