Lawmakers have launched investigations into allegations of torture and killings at Del Monte plantations in Thika and Murang’a counties, amid claims that individuals accused of stealing pineapples have been subjected to violence, and in some cases, death.
Senators are seeking answers from both security agencies and Del Monte Kenya Limited, demanding information on the number of incidents, the identities of those responsible, and measures taken to prevent further human rights violations.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu raised the alarm in the Senate on Tuesday, calling the situation “a grave human rights concern that demands urgent attention.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is deeply troubling that for years, people accused of petty theft have reportedly been subjected to torture and even killed. We must not allow impunity to thrive under the guise of farm security,” Nyutu said.
He urged the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations to investigate the matter comprehensively, reviewing all cases reported since 2010 and examining findings from Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) probes, especially those implicating security personnel.
“We must know how many have been held accountable, and what justice has been served to the victims’ families,” the senator added.
Nyutu also called for scrutiny of Del Monte’s role, pushing for reforms to prevent excessive use of force and promote collaboration with local communities.
“The company must work with local communities and security agencies to resolve the root causes rather than respond with brutality,” he said, suggesting that Del Monte consider compensating victims’ families.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Ndula Resource Centre recently issued five demands following the killing of 31-year-old vegetable vendor Michael Muiruri.
Muiruri was allegedly killed on August 8, 2025, by a G4S guard contracted by Del Monte in Gatwekera, Murang’a. Reports say the guard suspected Muiruri of pineapple theft and rammed him with a Toyota Hilux (registration KBZ 441E) while Muiruri was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle driven by his friend, 24-year-old Brian Kuria.
In reality, Muiruri had been returning home from Thika’s Makongeni market after selling vegetables. He was rushed to a local clinic and later referred to Thika Level 5 Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 1:00 pm.
A post-mortem conducted on August 11 confirmed he died from multiple injuries consistent with a motor vehicle accident.
“The G4S guard was driving a Toyota Hilux, registration KBZ 441E. Police later impounded the vehicle and Kuria’s motorcycle, both bearing visible damage consistent with the reported impact,” the rights groups said.
When Muiruri’s family and Kuria went to Ngati Police Station to report the incident, the same guard allegedly pursued them, nearly causing another accident. The case is recorded under OB number 12/08/08/2025.
The KHRC and Ndula Resource Centre argue that Muiruri’s death is part of a broader pattern of intimidation and excessive force by security personnel at multinational plantations.
They cited a December 2023 incident in which four men accused of stealing pineapples were beaten, thrown into the Chania River, and left to die near Del Monte’s Thika plantation.
A Human Rights Impact Assessment by Partner Africa, published in January 2024, had already documented killings, assaults, and intimidation at the plantation.
Although Del Monte announced in March 2024 that it had terminated 214 in-house guards and outsourced security to G4S, community members say abuses continue.
G4S has faced prior accusations of torture and rape in Kwale during a land dispute involving Bamburi Portland Cement Ltd.
The rights groups also reported that on August 12, as residents protested Muiruri’s killing, police officers backed by G4S guards opened fire, killing 30-year-old Stephen Marubu at Del Monte’s Pineapple Field No. 19 near Kakuzi Road.
They expressed concern over the growing militarisation of Kenya’s agribusiness sector, noting that Marubu’s death came shortly after the government announced the Presidential Proclamation on the Framework for Compensation of Victims of Protests and Riots.
“This latest killing shows the persistence of police brutality and exposes the William Ruto regime’s lack of genuine commitment to ending such senseless violence,” the groups said.