A growing dispute between a British-owned tea plantation and local residents in Nandi County, western Kenya, is shedding light on deep-seated frustrations over colonial-era land injustices and raising concerns over the future of the tea industry in the country.
The conflict centres on a 350-acre parcel of land at the Sitoi estate, currently occupied by more than 100 locals who claim ancestral ownership. The land, they say, was gifted to them in 1986 by Eastern Produce Kenya (EPK), a subsidiary of London-listed Camellia Plc. However, EPK insists only 202 acres were allocated, not the 550 acres claimed by the Kimasas farmers’ cooperative.
Daniel Biwott, chair of the cooperative, argues the land was unjustly taken by British colonists in the early 1900s and that reclaiming it is a matter of historical justice. “This is the time to solve it,” he declared, standing among tea bushes where generations of his family once worked.
The standoff follows similar unrest in other parts of the country, including a January attack on a Sri Lankan-owned estate, highlighting increasing resistance to foreign ownership of vast tea estates. The Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA) described the Sitoi occupation as a “Zimbabwe-like illegal land invasion” and accused politically-backed groups of orchestrating the unrest.
The tea industry, a vital sector contributing nearly 25% of Kenya’s export earnings and supporting 5 million livelihoods, faces rising pressure. According to KTGA, EPK is losing over $200,000 monthly due to disruptions.
Efforts to address historical injustices through legal means have largely stalled. Former National Land Commissioner Samuel Tororei attributed the inaction to weak mandates and political interference. While Kenya’s 2010 Constitution cut land leases from 999 to 99 years, campaigners argue the government has failed to leverage this to benefit local communities.
As legal remedies remain elusive, some fear more aggressive land claims are imminent. “The new generation will not wait,” warned lawyer Joel Kimutai Bosek.
With awareness of colonial legacies growing, the Sitoi standoff may be a harbinger of broader land reclamation movements, potentially reshaping Kenya’s tea landscape and reigniting the call for restitution.
