Kakuzi appoints former Safaricom chairman amid abuse claims
Agricultural firm Kakuzi Plc has appointed Nicholas Nganga as its Board Chairman. Nganga was the immediate former Board Chairman of Safaricom.
In a statement on Sunday, Kakuzi said Nganga will assume work with immediate effect.
They said Mr.Nganga has replaced Graham Mclean who stepped down to a non-executive Director.
"The Board of Kakuzi Plc is pleased to announce that Nicholas Nganga has been appointed Chairman of the Board with immediate effect," said Kakuzi in a statement.
The Murang'a based firm also appointed John Kibunga Kimani to the Board of Kakuzi, as a non-executive director.
Amid claims of human rights abuse, Kakuzi said it has established Independent Human Rights Advisory Committee to "enhance governance". The committee will advise the firm on solving disputes with the local community.
The appointments come against a backdrop of accusations of human rights abuse, meted upon the local community by its guards.
In the last three weeks ago, at least three European grocery stores have suspended buying avocados from Kakuzi after the allegations of human rights abuse emerged.
In the UK, 79 Kenyans have sued Kakuzi's parent company Camellia Plc for physical and sexual abuse crimes allegedly conducted by Kakuzi's guards.
The abuse allegations date from 2009 to January 2020, according to Leigh Day, the law firm representing the victims.
In Murang'a, some community members around Kakuzi's plantation have also accused their guards of having raped their women and girls who were found trespassing the orchards, and with some cases leading to HIV infections.
