Seven Unilever employees were killed and 56 women raped during the clashes. 

“This was the biggest risk to the largest concentration of Unilever workers anywhere in the world,” said Daniel Leader, a solicitor from Leigh Day Law Firm, who is representing the Kenyans. “Unilever’s Kenyan tea workers were put in a vulnerable position by Unilever and yet the risk they faced was not considered."

The UK Court of Appeal overturned the original High Court assessment, stating there was insufficient evidence that the parent company was actively responsible for the Kenyan subsidiary’s poor crisis management...

Some workers, including tea pickers, are from communities not indigenous to the area and were targets of harassment and occasional violence during elections and other events.

A number of the plaintiffs from the Kissi community said they had told Unilever management that they were at serious risk of being targeted after they had been sent threatening flyers, warning of attacks.

After the election results were announced, large groups invaded Unilever’s Tea Plantation in Kericho, which was not cordoned off.

Hundreds of workers were attacked, 56 women were raped, and seven others killed...