Igara Accused of Violating Tea Farmers’ Rights in Court
The Igara Tea Growers Factory has filed a lawsuit against a group of tea farmers from Buhweju, alleging that they are disrupting the operations of the Buhweju factory, which is part of the Igara-Buhweju Growers Tea Company.
This legal battle stems from ongoing tensions that began a few years ago when Buhweju tea farmers sought autonomy for their factory, a request that Igara management has consistently rejected.
The situation intensified when representatives from the Buhweju farmers formed a steering committee aimed at facilitating the separation of their factory from Igara.
According to Nicholas Abenaitwe, the lawyer representing the accused farmers, the committee’s purpose was to expedite the process of independence from the Igara factory, which they claim has been obstructing their efforts.
In response to these developments, the Igara Tea Growers Factory sought a court injunction to prevent the Buhweju farmers from disrupting factory activities. During a court appearance today, both the complainants and the defendants presented their cases to Deputy Registrar Arinaitwe Gorreti.
The court ruled in favor of the Buhweju farmers, granting them permission to hold meetings but explicitly prohibiting them from interfering with the factory’s operations.
The court has adjourned the case until October 18 for further mention of the main suit, leaving both sides awaiting clarification on the future of their ongoing conflict.
Haruna Ssewaya, the lead lawyer for the petitioners, emphasized the seriousness of the situation and the need for a resolution as the conflict continues to impact the tea-growing community in the region.
