This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
Kenyans Protest Job Losses Under Jubilee Government ¶
President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration has come under fire for its handling of the economy, which has led to widespread job losses in recent months.
According to reports, hundreds of Kenyans have lost their jobs after employers closed shop or downsized, with many blaming the Jubilee government for the mass retrenchments.
On October 3, 2019, Kenyans took to social media to express their outrage and frustration over the situation, using hashtags such as #ILostMyJob and #SaveMyJob to send a message to the Jubilee administration.
One of the companies that has been affected by the job losses is SportPesa, which recently announced that it was closing shop in Kenya due to a hostile regulatory environment. The company fired 400 of its local employees, leaving many without a job.
Another company, Betin, had also dispatched a notice of termination to all its staff, citing the government's refusal to renew its license as the reason for the layoffs.
Below are some of the reactions from Kenyans on social media:
- "So today (Wednesday) SportPesa management had to tell its staff what has been the inevitable for the last three months. The centre can't hold any longer. Massive grief seeing this entire team rendered jobless by ridiculous policies of our beloved government," tweeted one Tom Bwana.
- "As a result of the deterioration of the profitability, the management has had to rethink its operational model and to proceed with the exercise of termination on account of redundancy. We hereby notify you that positions will be rendered redundant on October 31, 2019," said Betin in a memo to its 2,500 employees.
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