More than 100 employees of a Naivasha-based flower farm have received a reprieve after a Nakuru court stopped their eviction from the firm’s premises.
The workers at Karuturi Ltd, the world's biggest cut roses producer, had moved to court seeking to block termination of their employment.
The court heard that their termination was irregular as they never received letters notifying them of the impending termination of their services.
In the suit, the employees cited that on diverse dates between 2011 and 2014, they were employed by Karuturi Limited in various cadres. They also claimed that they have been occupying the company’s houses at Kasarani, YMCA, Kiamwatu and Rift camps all within Naivasha. The workers asserted that if they vacate the houses, they will suffer irreparable loss, great humiliation and loss of property.
The workers said that Karuturi Ltd did not give them a fair hearing before dismissal. Justice Byrum Ongaya directed the flower company to shelf the termination of contracts and subsequent eviction of the employees until an inter-parties hearing of the suit was heard on July 30.
“The management should put on hold the eviction of the employees pending an inter-parties hearing of the matter,” said Ongaya.
The workers further claimed that they have not been paid their terminal dues. This, the workers said, has subjected their families to untold suffering.
The company has sent the workers notices urging them to vacate the premises, saying the employees were illegally occupying the houses.
At its peak, the farm was dubbed the world’s leading producer of roses at one million stems per day. According to the management, Karuturi produces 580 million roses per year from its operations in Kenya, Ethiopia and India. The flowers it produces in Kenya are shipped to Europe through a subsidiary in Dubai.