John Chebochok, a notorious sex predator exposed in a viral BBC documentary “sex for work” in February 2023, is campaigning to be elected Toror Tea Factory Director, managed by the Kenya Tea Development Agency, KTDA.
According to his campaign poster, Mr. Chebochok promises better-experienced leadership, transparency, and a better bonus to tea farm if elected to the position. The elections, which are set to be held this week Friday, June 28, according to insiders, are managed by local tea authorities in partnership with KTDA and IEBC, which offer clearance to candidates interested in various positions.
The viral BBC documentary investigated by a Kenyan journalist, Tom Odula, gave a visual account of how Mr. Chebochok was taking advantage of jobseekers and women working in tea farms, promising them better remunerations as long as they kept his under- dealings. In the video Mr. Chebochok invites the woman for an interview only for her to find out its not an interview and that they are meeting in a hotel room.
At least two bodies, including the Kenya Women Parliamentarians (KEWOPA), have condemned the clearance of Mr. Chebochok, “Given the nature of the allegations, we believe it is essential to carefully scrutinize his suitability since electing him would pose a significant threat to his juniors, especially female workers who could be vulnerable to further exploitations.
ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) are also deeply concerned to learn Mr. Chebochok now stands to be elected as the Regional Director of KTDA, his candidacy risks tarnishing the reputation of the KTDA and undermines the work concerned stakeholders across Kenya’s tea industry have been undertaking to combat sexual exploitation, abuse and gender based violence. ETI has alerted their members about this development and supports efforts by key civil society condemning his candidacy and calling for his removal.
ETP (Ethical Tea Partnership) has written to the electoral Boundaries Commission, KTDA, and the Tea Board of Kenya to express their concern and seek clear action to ensure apparent sexual perpetrators of sexual exploitation are not employed in positions where they can continue to facilitate physical and economic exploitation.
