Kawambwa Tea dispels reports of workers’ protest

...says it is engaging stakeholders to mobilise resources to expand plantation in order to meet local and international demand

KAWAMBWA Tea management has refuted claims that workers yesterday protested over the three months’ salary arrears.

Remmy Chola, the Financial Officer said yesterday that the company does not owe any employee since inception.

In an interview, Mr Chola said the video which went viral was meant to dent the image of the company because it had been up to date with payments.

He urged the people of Kawambwa and the nation to treat the liess with the contempt it deserved.

“That is not true, we do not owe any employee, and it is also important that we get credible sources of information. That is not the position,” he said.

“So, when such falsehoods come up its always important that you come through and get the exact information of what is happening on the ground. And we are grateful for your efforts and let’s see how we can sensitise the public and the people on the operations of Kawambwa tea and see how better we can develop our country.”

Meanwhile, Mr Chola said the company was securing financing in order to expand the plantation to meet the local and international demand.

“Currently, the plantation is small and the capacity, looking at the demand that is there for tea,” he said.

Mr Chola said “We are trying to engage our stakeholders like government and other institutions that can can support the expansion program and also grow the outgrower scheme.

He said currently the company had offloaded packaged tea on the market.

“There is ginger tea, lemon tea and other ranges of tea that are on the market,” he said.

Mr Chola said the key aspect was expansion program which would result in actual development and economic activities that the people can be venturing in. He said in the region, the company was exporting bulky tea to Democratic Republic of Congo. He said the company would soon start exporting finished products.