Karuturi staff hopeful as they await key ruling in December

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A union officer Meshack Khisa addresses some of the 3,000 workers from Karuturi flower farm outside the farm’s gate on February 11,2014
The Star | Oct. 08, 2018

Karuturi staff hopeful as they await key ruling in December

By GEORGE MURAGE

After four years of waiting, over 2,500 workers of the closed down Karuturi flower farm will know their fate in two months.

The court of appeal will rule on the 20th of December on the ownership of the farm which was put under receivership over a debt it owed one of the banks.

This follows the full hearing of the ownership dispute between the owner of the farm Ram Karuturi and CFC Bank.

Following the move, the workers met in Naivasha where they thanked the judiciary for hearing out the case saying that they were praying for justice.

According to the workers leader Samson Ouda, the three bench court had heard from the farm management and the bank.

Ouda noted that they had suffered for long waiting for justice adding that they were now hopeful that they would finally get their dues.

“We were in court and after many adjournments the case finally came to an end and we are waiting for the final ruling on the 20th of December,” he said.

He termed the journey as long adding that the questions lay with the receiver managers who were picked by the bank to run the farm but they never performed.

“The court has issued an order that the status quo remains and we shall stay vigil to make sure that the current managers do not sell any asset,” he said.

Another worker Harrison Wafula called on the office of the DPP to investigate the former receiver-managers who had been running the farm.

Wafula noted that for months after it was placed under receivership, the farm had continued to export thousands of stems annually but the proceeds did not clear the debt.

“After years of waiting we are happy with the court for setting this date and we hope that the former owner Ram Karuturi will take over this farm,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by Christopher Odhiambo who accused the bank for the continued suffering by the workers.

Odhiambo noted that students had continued to drop from school while the only hospital that served hundreds of area residents had been closed down.

“Our prayers and hope is that the former owners of this farm will take over, pay us our dues and end the suffering that we have undergone for years,” he said.

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