A BITTER land dispute at a British-owned tea plantation in western Kenya has erupted into open occupation by local farmers, reviving long-simmering anger over colonial-era land grabs — and casting a shadow over the future of Kenya’s vital tea industry.
On the lush slopes of Nandi County, more than 100 members of the Kimasas farmers’ cooperative have taken over 350 acres of the Sitoi estate, claiming ownership of land they say was wrongfully seized from their ancestors and later promised back. The estate is managed by Eastern Produce Kenya (EPK), which is majority-owned by UK-listed Camellia Plc.
Living in makeshift huts built from mud and corrugated iron, the occupiers are plucking tea, tending cattle and declaring their right to stay. ‘This land belongs to us,’ said Kimasas chairman Daniel Biwott, whose grandfather lived and worked on the land before it was taken by colonial settlers around 1905. ‘We’ve waited for decades. This is the time to solve it,’ he told Reuters.
Disputed land and broken trust
At the heart of the standoff is a disagreement over a land gift said to have been made in 1986. The Kimasas cooperative insists EPK granted them 550 acres (222 hectares), while the company maintains it only pledged 202 acres (82 hectares).
EPK says the donation was made in good faith on a ‘willing donor, willing donee basis’, and accuses the cooperative of expanding its claims beyond what was agreed. The dispute has moved to court, with both sides presenting conflicting evidence. EPK alleges that some of the cooperative’s documentation is forged, a claim strongly denied by Kimasas.
A 2019 report by Kenya’s National Land Commission (NLC) supported the farmers’ claim to the entire 550 acres, but EPK challenged the findings. The impasse deepened in August 2023 when over 200 individuals — including a local MP — occupied the contested land and began harvesting tea. A court issued an injunction the next day, but enforcement has been patchy.
Mounting tensions in the tea sector
The Sitoi confrontation is the latest in a series of increasingly volatile land disputes targeting foreign-owned plantations. In January, a separate estate owned by Sri Lanka’s Browns Plantations was attacked, with over 100 eucalyptus trees uprooted.
The Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA) has described the invasions as ‘Zimbabwe-like’ land seizures and accused ‘criminal gangs who appear to enjoy political cover’ of exploiting historical grievances for political gain. EPK says it is losing more than $200,000 a month due to the occupation.
Tea is one of Kenya’s most valuable exports, generating close to a quarter of national export earnings and supporting around five million livelihoods. Industry leaders warn that the growing unrest could have serious economic consequences. ‘If this trend continues, it could cripple the sector,’ said EPK general manager Peter Goin. ‘It sets a dangerous precedent if younger generations begin demanding more land simply because they feel they deserve it.’
Colonial wounds and stalled reform
From 1895 until independence in 1963, British authorities seized large tracts of fertile land, much of which became tea plantations. Despite constitutional reforms in 2010 — which reduced colonial-era 999-year leases to 99 years — activists argue that meaningful restitution has been elusive.
Samuel Tororei, a former commissioner at the NLC, told Reuters that political alliances between tea multinationals and local elites have stalled land reform efforts. ‘It’s an unholy marriage that leaves communities without leverage,’ he said.
Legal challenges face major hurdles, including statutes of limitations and state immunity protections. Lawyer Joel Kimutai Bosek, who has taken land rights cases against tea companies and the UK government, said younger generations are losing patience. ‘The courts haven’t worked. The new generation won’t wait. They’ll act.’
International pressure, local silence
A 2021 UN report acknowledged the lasting harm of colonial land seizures and called for restitution. In 2019, the NLC urged the British government to apologise and offer reparations to affected communities in Kericho and Nandi counties. The UK has not formally responded, though a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office told Reuters it was ‘concerned by the attacks on tea farms in Nandi’ and in contact with Kenyan authorities.
Meanwhile, the Kenyan government has yet to comment on the Sitoi standoff. EPK claims law enforcement has failed to uphold the court injunction, and the public prosecutor’s office warned that criminal charges could interfere with ongoing civil proceedings.
Despite the legal ambiguity, Biwott insists Kimasas is justified in remaining on the land. ‘There’s no final ruling against us,’ he said. ‘Until then, we’re staying put.’
As tensions escalate, the tea fields of Nandi are emerging as a battleground not just for land, but for historical truth — with potential consequences for foreign investors, local communities, and Kenya’s economic backbone.
