Workers and bereaved families in Mulanje District have complained about what they allege to be unfair compensation management for injuries and deaths sustained while on duty at tea estates owned by Lujeri Tea Estates Limited and Eastern Produce Malawi (EPM) Limited.
In an e-mail response, EPM corporate affairs manager Rabson Kachilele acknowledged that workplace accidents occur, but said the company handles them according to labour laws.
“EPM places significant emphasis on workplace safety. With nearly 15 000 employees at peak times, some accidents do occur, but when they do, EPM complies fully with the Workers’ Compensation Act,” Kachilele said.
Efforts to obtain a response from Lujeri Tea Estates were unsuccessful, as managing director Grant Bremsen did not reply to a questionnaire sent to him via email on December 1 2025.
Mulanje District labour officer Asimenye Fweta said compensation follows procedures outlined in the Workers’ Compensation Act “and involves multiple stakeholders.”
“There is a schedule for every incapacity. However, some private lawyers take advantage of workers,” she added, referring enquiries on specific cases to the Workers’ Compensation Commissioner.
| Milimo Chitsulo
Ministry of Labour spokesperson Tabbu Kitta Kauye said the ministry intervenes only when cases are formally reported. She noted that the Workers’ Compensation Act is under review to align with international labour standards and to introduce a central compensation fund.
Allegations of delayed or denied compensation
Workers and families accuse the companies of delaying payments, offering inadequate compensation, or refusing claims outright, a situation they say worsens poverty in already vulnerable plantation communities.
“I lost a finger while working in the boiler section at Limbuli Tea Estate factory in 2018. I was only compensated in 2023 when I retired, and I was given K300 000,” said William Bizwick, now in his late 70s,” he claimed.
Bizwick said the injury has severely affected his livelihood. “I cannot do farming with one hand. Losing a finger has affected my daily life,” he said.
Others alleged being abandoned for years after workplace injuries.
“In 2019, I was employed at Chisambo Tea Estate under EPM. While uprooting tea, I fell and broke my wrist. I could not work from 2019 to 2023 and had nothing to live on,” said 25-year-old Timothy Matope from Ntalika Village. Matope said the company stopped engaging him after the accident and only recalled him in 2024. “Six years have passed without any compensation,” he said.
Another worker, Lyson Katchenga, said he suffered severe facial burns in March 2025 while working in the boiler section at Limbuli Tea Estate.
“The valve holding two pipes together had worn out. We reported the problem to our supervisor, but we were told to continue working,” Katchenga explained. The valve later failed, releasing hot air onto his face. “The skin on my face peeled off following the explosion.”
He said supervisors applied car oil to his burns instead of rushing him to hospital. “I spent the night in terrible pain and was only taken to hospital the following day. After that, I was fired,” he said. Now unemployed and destitute, Katchenga has taken the company to court. “My case is being heard at Mulanje Magistrate’s Court. I felt unfairly treated,” he said.
Families of workers who died on duty report similar experiences.
Rose Noniwa, 34, from Maliera Village, said her husband, John Goodson, a security guard at Limbuli Tea Estate, went missing in May 2021 and was later found dead in a swamp. She believes villagers killed him after he reported theft of bluegum trees, but the company refused compensation, arguing no link existed between his death and work.
“I struggle to provide for my children. School fees are a major challenge. I wish someone could help us force the company to compensate us,” she said.
A similar case involved the late John Mabomba at Sayama Tea Estate, a subsidiary of Lujeri Tea Estates Limited.
“My uncle was struck by lightning in December 2019 while supervising workers. The company declined to compensate the family, arguing lightning is beyond its control,” said MacDonald Paul from Sazola Village. He said management intimidated potential witnesses. “Workers who were with my uncle were threatened with dismissal if they testified. They withdrew out of fear,” Paul claimed.
Mabomba left behind an elderly mother and six children. Paul said the family has faced severe hardship: “Three daughters dropped out of school and got married. The remaining three are often sent home for failure to pay school fees. The family lost its sole provider.”
Lawyer Victor Mandiwe of Kapoto and Company, representing Mabomba’s family and several injured workers, claimed that intimidation is common.
“Some workers from Lujeri Tea Estates who instructed me to represent them have withdrawn their cases after being threatened with dismissal. Witnesses are also warned against testifying. These practices are meant to obstruct justice,” Mandiwe said.
He further accused EPM of engaging injured workers only after legal action is initiated.
Legal perspectives and calls for reform
Labour law expert Shepherd Mumba said Malawi’s Workers’ Compensation Act provides clear procedures for compensating workplace injuries and deaths.
“There are two avenues for compensation: under the Workers’ Compensation Act, which has no limitation period, and through civil litigation where negligence is alleged,” he explained. Mumba urged stronger enforcement, including more labour inspectors and mandatory insurance coverage for workplace accidents.
Rights activist Victor Mhango described the allegations as deeply troubling.
“Failure to compensate injured workers or families of deceased workers is not only illegal but a violation of human dignity,” said Mhango, executive director of the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa). He criticized compensation amounts such as K300 000 for loss of a finger as far below legal requirements, suggesting companies may bypass proper assessment procedures.
Mhango urged affected workers to seek legal assistance from organisations such as his and the Legal Aid Bureau and called on the Ministry of Labour to intensify inspections. “The tea industry is a major export earner, but its success must not be built on workers’ suffering,” he said.
Regarding the alleged death of a worker at one of their estates, Kachilele said EPM had no record of the fatality and urged the family to use the company’s grievance mechanisms.
Tea Association of Malawi chief executive officer Tonda Chinangwa said the association could not address specific allegations without details, but noted that compensation claims are handled through the Workers’ Compensation Commissioner and insurance providers.
