On 21 November 2018, Nyakundi Report noted a growing labour dispute at Kenya Commercial Bank Ltd after Gabriel Okomo, the unionisable employees’ chairman, was moved out of office following a disciplinary process the bank held on 8 October.
The article said Okomo had become a target because of his role in pushing for workers’ rights and resisting pressure from management. It also stated that KCB CEO Joshua Oigara was accused of high-handed treatment of employees, with the publication alleging that senior managers were paid far more in salaries and allowances than ordinary staff.
According to the report, KCB management summoned Okomo to what it described as a disciplinary committee and accused him of inciting colleagues to reject what it called a “well-orchestrated coup” against the union in a court matter that had been ongoing since 2017. The story further claimed the case was tainted by corruption and bribery, while saying accountability agencies including the ODPP, EACC, JSC and DCI had remained silent.
Nyakundi Report also linked the dismissal to a protest outside KCB Kencom, saying Okomo’s appearance there sealed his fate. The article said he intended to sue KCB and Joshua Oigara for wrongful termination.
The report compared Okomo’s case to that of William Ololchike, who had earlier been targeted after serving as chairman of the BIFU KCB Chapter. It also claimed KCB Bank Ltd had more cases at the Industrial Court than the other 43 banks combined.
The allegations in the piece were presented as claims from sources and the publication’s own reporting, while the bank and Oigara were not quoted in the article as giving a response.
