Four managers of a Naivasha-based flower firm risk a six-month civil jail term after they allegedly disobeyed orders issued by a Nakuru court.
Kieran Day, Ian Small, Patrick Maina and Chris Shaw, who are receiver managers of Karuturi flower company, have been summoned by the Nakuru industrial court following allegations that they failed to comply with orders issued by Justice Byrum Ongaya on July 30.
Justice Ongaya had directed the flower company to stop terminating contracts and subsequent eviction of its employees from the company premises pending hearing and determination of a suit they had filed.
However, the firm’s management is said to have failed to obey the orders.
The more than 100 workers of the company had moved to court seeking to block termination of their employment, arguing that it was irregular as they never received letters for their layoffs.
The workers claimed that they were discriminated against and that their employer did not give them a fair hearing before dismissal.
“The management should put on hold the eviction of the employees pending an inter-parties hearing of the matter,” said Ongaya in his ruling.
The workers further claim that since their contracts were terminated they have not been paid their terminal dues, something they say has subjected their families to untold suffering.
The management is said to have sent the workers notices, urging them to vacate them because a recent audit had shown that they were illegal occupants.
The union urged the court to restrain the management of the firm from evicting them from the company houses and to have the managers compelled to pay the employees terminal dues they owe them.
The matter will be heard by a duty judge on August 13.
The farm, which produces 580 million roses per year from its operations in Kenya, Ethiopia and India, was dubbed the world leading producer of roses when it was at its peak. The flowers it produces in Kenya are shipped to Europe through a subsidiary in Dubai.