CAPTION: Kibos Sugar Company Boss Sukhwinder Singh Chatthe (LEFT) and his two exuberant sons (RIGHT) posing next to a posh Rolls Royce
Disgruntled members of the workforce at Kibos Sugar Company are celebrating a big win against their rogue employer whose attempt to bulldoze them into unfavourable wages was stopped in the corridors of justice.
Acting on behalf of the aggrieved group, the Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers (KUSPAW) sued the company and its killer owners following their blatant refusal to commit to a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) offered in 2017.
In the case filed at Kisumu’s Employment and Labour Relations Court, the union argued that when a previous CBA signed in April 2016 expired in July 2017, the parties entered into fresh negotiations for a new agreement but which ended in a stalemate.
At the time, Kibos Sugar Company – owned by Indian tycoon Raju Singh Chatthe – proposed a 16% salary increase effectual over a period of three years from the day of signing.
On their part, employees expressed the desire for a higher amount.
They suggested a 20% general wage increase from August 1, 2018.
Upon submission of their proposition, the scandalous miller did not issue a response.
After waiting in vain for a reply, the workers decided to lower their bid and accepted the foregoing offer of 16 per cent.
The company still did not break their silence.
This was when they resolved to seek intervention from judicial powers.
In his judgement on March 9th, 2022, Justice Stephen Radido ordered Kibos Sugar Company, to give its employees a 10 per cent general wage increment and sign a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on or before May 1, 2022, but effective January 1, 2022.
The judge added that a 5% pay adjustment will be effective from January 1, 2022, and the next similar percentage to be implemented by January 1, 2023.
According to Justice Radido, the orders drew from a report by the Central Planning and Monitoring Unit of the Ministry of Labour and the practice of renewing CBAs every two years in the private sector.
Since the parties had not revealed whether an earlier suspension of talks had been reviewed, the court set January 1, 2022, as the CBA’s effective date.
Synonymous with controversy, this recent case is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to court wrangles surrounding Kibos Sugar Company.
And on most occasions, the well-connected Chatthe family is known to easily get away with almost anything.
From land grabbing, fragrant mistreatment and racial discrimination of native staff, discharging raw waste into rivers, to gruesome crimes like murder.
Yes, you read that right.
In fact, it is now more than two years since three families in Kisumu began their search for justice after tragically losing two of them to a drunk and disorderly driver from the Kibos family.
Meshak Ouma (37), George Oudi (28) and Martin Bonyo (25) succumbed to a controversial grisly accident along the Kondele-Kibos road on the night of Saturday 25th July 2020 after they were knocked down by a speeding vehicle that unsuccessfully attempted to overtake their bodaboda.
READ MORE: Uproar On Social Media After Car Belonging To Kibos Sugar Company Boss Kills Three
Eyewitnesses who were present at the gory scene immediately identified the car belonging to Indian tycoon Raju Singh Chatthe of Kibos Sugar Company Limited.
On that fateful date, it was one of the billionaire’s two flamboyant sons, Simi Chatthe who was deemed to be behind the wheel.
But before the angry mob could interrogate him, the spoilt rich-kid quickly sped off from the crime scene.
The vehicle was later found hidden inside the Kibos Sugar Company main factory where its occupants reportedly abandoned it before disappearing into the thick of the night.
CAPTION: Protesters pray at the scene of the accident where three locals were knocked to death by a car belonging to Kibos Sugar Company boss Sukhwinder Singh Chatthe
Over 24 months since the accident occurred, the families of Ouma, Oudi and Bonyo now suspect that there has been a deliberate scheme to cover up the real perpetrators of the accident.
They fear that an illicit collaboration between local authorities and some members of the wealthy Chatthe family that heavily linked to Deputy President William Ruto might cost them justice for their dead kin.
CAPTION: CAPTION: Deputy President William Ruto when he attended the wedding of Gavneet Chatthe in Westlands, Nairobi County; Over the past decade, the extended Chatthe family has enjoyed strong links with the ruling regime through their connection to Kenya’s second in command
Ever since investigations began, only one suspect has been arraigned in court over the matter.
But according to the families, the man that was charged and later released on bond was neither driving nor inside the said vehicle that killed the three.
Authorities handling the incident were reportedly compromised to the tune of millions, and just like that, justice was defeated!
READ MORE: Kin Demand Justice For Three Men Knocked Dead By Son Of Kibos Sugar Company Boss
To get successfully get away with an offence of such magnitude right under the nose of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Chatthe family must truly be powerful.
Do the families of Ouma, Oudi and Bonyo have to organize into a movement in order for their case to be given a fair hearing in court?
How more rotten could the system possibly get?
Every other day, the ordinary Kenyan is pulled further and further away from access to justice, which nowadays is sold to the highest bidder.
With elections just five months away, serious decisions certainly have to be made on the ballot.
But even before then, something must be done to these modern-day Asian oligarchs holding our arms of government hostage.
A fresh probe into the accident that cost three precious lives along the Kondele-Kibos road would be a great place to start.
Would you like to get published on this Popular Blog? You can now email Cyprian Nyakundi any breaking news, Exposes, story ideas, human interest articles or interesting videos on: hello@cnyakundi.com. Videos and pictures can be sent to +254 710 280 973 on WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram.
