Family Whose Son was Boiled to Death at a Thika Steel Factory Rejects Sh420,000 Compensation

The family of a 34-year-old man who was boiled to death at a metal factory in Thika, Kiambu County on March 25th is set to sue for compensation.

Caleb Otieno was killed after he fell into a vat of molten steel at the Blue Nile Rolling Mills Ltd, where he worked for seven years. 

The deceased’s father Martin Oraro, 74, said the family will move to court after compensation talks with the Thika-based steel manufacturer collapsed.

Oraro told Nation that the amount offered as compensation by the company was a ridicule to the family, citing the horrific way in which his son met his death.

“The company offered me Sh100,000, and when I asked them about the compensation, the HR manager told me that they would compensate me with a third of Sh21,000 that my son was earning per month for the five years he worked as a permanent employee,'' Oraro told Nation.

''They told me this would translate to Sh7,000 per month. When my other son John Agwambo did the calculations, we realized the compensation would be Sh420,000 for all the five years he worked there as a permanent employee, yet it is safety negligence at the company that made my son die. We felt ridiculed and denied justice.”

Oraro’s family will be burying three small bags of remains that were retrieved from the boiler, including a few joint bones and teeth.

“We have preserved them at General Kago Funeral Home in Thika. We feel frustrated and we will be moving to court after the burial,” Agwambo said.

Blue Nile Rolling Mills Ltd, which manufactures the Kifaru brand of steel products, declined to comment on the matter. 

Thika DCIO Joseph Thuvi said the matter is still under investigations but he ruled out foul play in Otieno’s death.

The family of Otieno appealed to well-wishers for financial help to enable them to accord him a decent burial and seek justice.