A woman from Ndula village in Thika East, Kiambu County is seeking millions of shillings in compensation from Del Monte Kenya Ltd over significant damage to her land and property caused by storms and irrigation water from the company’s farm.
Magda Ngumi, who has lived on her 15-acre land inside the company’s vast pineapple plantation for over 30 years, is facing substantial losses after runoff water from the farm destroyed her crops and other property.
Ngumi alleges that the food processing company has consistently and unethically allowed water overflow from its farm to flood her homestead, destroying her valuable furniture and weakening her large house.
According to her, excess water and mud have been flooding her house for the past few years, resulting in extensive property damage.
Instead of being absorbed into the soil, the stormwater has been collecting and moving downslope, causing erosion and forming gullies, resulting in the loss of nutrients.
The company, she regretted, has been sending its staff to conduct assessment on severity of property destruction but no action has ever been taken since she started complaining.
