Kenya lead victims denied their day in Mombasa court
Residents of Owino Uhuru in Mombasa County filed the class action lawsuit against thegovernment and the Metal Refinery EPZ Ltd after they fell ill from lead poisoning. They are asking for the equivalent of €13 million ($16 million) in compensation for health problems and to clean up contaminated land...Now, two years after the lawsuit was launched, the plaintiffs were scheduled to give their testimony in court in Mombasa for the first time today. But the hearing did not take place because of a dispute between two lawyers representing the victims. Justice Anne Omollo ordered both counsels to come forward on April 27 for the hearing of their applications and rescheduled the opening of the court proceedings to the 15th and 16th of May this year...Two years after the class action suit was filed in 2015 under the leadership of activist and founder of the non-governmental organization Centre for Justice, Governance and Environmental, Phyllis Omido, the victims are still waiting for their day in court. They include Omido herself, whose son was poisoned by the lead-smelting factory. Her organization succeeded in forcing the shutdown of the plant, before pushing the courts to secure compensation for the victims and a clean-up of the community. Thousands of locals joined the suit.