Employees at Samira Mobiles & Accessories, a prominent electronics retailer with multiple branches across Nairobi, have spoken out about working conditions they describe as punishing, intimidating and deeply unequal, painting a picture of a business where the people who serve customers every day are treated with far less consideration than the influencers the brand promotes online.
The workers say shifts run from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM for one group and 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM for another, leaving barely any time to sit, eat, rest or take a mental break beyond five-minute bathroom visits.
They work almost two weeks straight before receiving a single day off, and lateness is punished by doubling the time owed, meaning a worker who reports thirty minutes late at 6:00 AM is made to leave at 9:00 PM instead of 8:00 PM.
The pay, they say, does not match the hours, the workload or the time spent away from their own lives.
Employees describe an environment where the owner frequently insults and intimidates staff, where the threat of dismissal hangs over every conversation, and where raising a concern or offering a suggestion is treated as grounds for suspicion rather than engagement.
The complaints extend to how information moves inside the business.
Every shop, according to sources who spoke to this publication, has a family member who reports on staff, and those reports determine who remains in the owner's favour and who is eventually pushed out.
Workers say there is no room to give their side of the story, with the word of the informant treated as final, creating an atmosphere in which people are constantly afraid of being reported or misunderstood.
The disparity in how different people attached to the brand are treated has also drawn the attention of staff, who note that influencers promoting Samira Mobiles are received with warmth, respect and consideration, while those on the ground working the long shifts and dealing directly with customers experience a different side of the same business, a contrast that has left them questioning why the people doing the day-to-day work cannot receive the same dignity.
Samira Mobiles operates branches at Avenue House in the Nairobi CBD, Ruhan Plaza in Kahawa Sukari, Githurai 45 and Githurai 44, selling smartphones, laptops, televisions, speakers and accessories, with a strong social media presence and partnerships with local brand ambassadors.
Below is the message the workers shared with this publication.
"Hello Cyprian. Protect my identity. I need your help to bring something to attention regarding the working conditions at Samira Mobiles, because honestly, some of the things happening are becoming very concerning. We work extremely long hours. One group reports at 6:00 AM and leaves at 8:00 PM, while the other works from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Despite these long hours, we barely get proper breaks. Apart from about five minute bathroom breaks, there is hardly any time to sit, eat, rest or even take a mental break. We also work for almost two weeks continuously before getting one off day. On top of that, if you are late, the time is doubled. For example, if you are supposed to report at 6:00 AM and arrive 30 minutes late, instead of leaving at 8:00 PM, you are expected to leave at 9:00 PM. Another concern is the salary. Considering the number of hours we work, the workload and the amount of time we spend at work, the pay is not much. It can be discouraging to put in such long hours with very little time to rest and still feel that the compensation does not match the amount of work and time being put in. Another issue is the way employees are treated. Madam often insults and intimidates people, and if she decides she no longer wants you working there, she can intimidate and pressure you until you eventually leave. We are also constantly threatened with being sacked, which makes people afraid to raise concerns or even make suggestions. It is also true that every shop has a family member who reports on the workers, and these reports can determine who is wanted in the shop and who eventually gets sacked. Also, if reported, you have no space to give your side of the story. Their word is final. This creates an environment where people are constantly afraid of being reported or misunderstood. What also hurts is seeing the difference in how people are treated. Some workers are treated better than others. The business has brand influencers who are treated very well and with a lot of respect, yet the people on the ground, us, the ones working long hours every day and directly dealing with customers, experience a completely different side of the business. It makes you wonder why the people doing the day to day work cannot receive the same level of consideration, dignity and respect. I acknowledge that this business was built through hard work, sacrifice and determination, and I genuinely respect that. But the people who help run and build the business also deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness. And since both Madam and her husband are Christians, should not the way they treat the people working under them reflect the values they profess? Being Christians, should not that reflect how they treat others, especially those who work under them?"
