Uncovering the Mysterious Death of Godfrey Onyango: Was it Linked to Exposing Sexual Exploitation in Ekaterra?

On Friday, March 24, 2023, Onyango was found dead at his home in Lanet, Nakuru county. According to his family, he had not complained of any sickness before collapsing and passing away in his sitting room. His younger brother, Tom Mboya Onyango, who found him, stated that there were no visible injuries on his body.

Many wondered if his passing was related to the recent expose of sexual exploitation in Ekaterra (formerly Unilever), one of the companies he was actively fighting against.

Rumors spread quickly about the circumstances surrounding Onyango’s death. Some speculated that he may have been silenced by those in power, fearing that his advocacy would further expose their wrongdoing. Others speculated that he may have suffered a heart attack or some other medical condition

Onyango was actively involved in the petition filed by current and former workers of Ekaterra (formerly Unilever) and James Finlays, demanding that the two companies admit liability for exposing them to sexual exploitation. His untimely death is a significant loss to the human rights community, especially those who continue to fight for justice and dignity for workers who have been subjected to such exploitation.

Despite this, doubts and suspicions persisted. The expose of sexual exploitation in Ekaterra had brought to light the systemic nature of the abuse of workers in multinational tea companies, and many felt that those in power would stop at nothing to protect their interests.

As the investigations into Onyango’s death continued, the community of human rights activists refused to be silenced. They continued to demand accountability for the sexual exploitation of workers and pushed for justice for those affected.