Workers at consumer electronics manufacturer K-Elec have reached out to this publication describing what they say is growing dissatisfaction within sections of the company's workforce, particularly among employees assigned to its security department, with complaints centred on alleged disparities in pay, contract management and claims of preferential treatment in employment decisions.
The workers, who requested anonymity out of concern that speaking publicly could affect their jobs, contend that employees assigned to security duties work considerably longer shifts than many other members of staff while receiving lower pay, a situation they say has persisted for some time and has become a major source of dissatisfaction within the department.
Several employees further claim that support staff in other sections of the company receive comparatively higher salaries despite working shorter shifts, a disparity that security personnel say has fuelled frustration and strengthened calls for a review of the company's remuneration structure to ensure compensation is applied fairly and consistently across different categories of employees.
Beyond the issue of salaries, workers also question what they describe as an apparent imbalance in employment decisions, claiming that salary increments are not being awarded uniformly across the workforce.
According to the accounts shared with this publication, some employees believe pay increases have disproportionately benefited people said to have close family connections to members of the human resources department, while many long serving workers have seen no comparable adjustments.
The same workers also describe uncertainty surrounding contract renewals, claiming that employment agreements are, at times, brought to an end without adequate explanation, creating an atmosphere in which many employees feel insecure about their continued employment.
Among the most frequently repeated claims is an assertion that relatives of the Human Resources Manager are employed in certain sections of the company, a situation that workers believe has influenced decisions relating to salaries and employment opportunities.
Employees who contacted this publication argue that the perceived differences in pay between departments, combined with long working hours and uncertainty over contract renewals, have contributed to declining morale among security staff, many of whom say they feel their contribution to the company is not valued despite the critical role they play in protecting personnel, facilities and company assets.
K-Elec has established itself as a growing manufacturer and assembler of consumer electronics in Kenya through partnerships with South Korean technology firms and local investors, producing televisions, refrigerators and other household appliances from its manufacturing facility in Syokimau while marketing itself as a premium brand with locally assembled products and extended warranty offerings.
The workers are now calling on the company's leadership to review its employment practices, examine concerns surrounding pay structures, ensure that recruitment and promotion processes remain fair and transparent, and address what they describe as longstanding disparities affecting employees in the security department.
"Hello Cyprian. I work at K-Elec Company situated at Sarin Business Park on the way to Mlolongo along Mombasa Road. Kindly hide my identity. The HR is doing nepotism in the company by only increasing the salaries of his relatives and terminating contracts unfairly. Please expose this company because there is a lot of inhumane treatment in the security section. Since the HR has no relatives working in the security section, they have decided to pay security staff a salary of KSh20,000 even though they work for more than 12 hours. At the same time, the HR is paying the cleaners KSh27,000 while they work only 8 hours, and those cleaners are relatives of HR Titus."
