The digital gifting firm GiftPesa, once revered for its innovation in simplifying corporate rewards and consumer vouchers, is now the subject of renewed disquiet, this time from within its own workforce.
Employees who had served the company for several years have stepped forward with detailed accounts of unpaid dues, delayed salaries, and statutory deductions that were never remitted to government agencies, painting a picture of an organisation whose internal structure appears to be in disarray.
According to information gathered from affected staff, operations at GiftPesa began to deteriorate at the beginning of 2024, when communication between management and staff became inconsistent.
Salary delays that initially appeared isolated gradually became routine, with employees reporting that payments would arrive weeks late, if at all.
Payslips ceased to be issued, and when inquiries were made, responses from the human resources office were either evasive or altogether absent.
In several instances, staff were informed that the delay in processing payments was a temporary issue linked to cash flow challenges, assurances that would later prove hollow as the months wore on.
The internal turmoil at the company was mirrored by growing discontent among its customers and corporate partners, who, around the same period, began voicing frustration over what they described as a breakdown in service delivery.
Clients who had purchased or received GiftPesa’s digital vouchers reported persistent difficulties redeeming them through the platform’s USSD code or online portal, with repeated transaction failures and unresponsive customer support lines becoming commonplace.
Corporate users said vouchers worth thousands of shillings remained inaccessible for months, forcing some recipients to pay out of pocket when merchants declined to honour the digital tokens.
The mounting complaints, which circulated widely on social media and review platforms, painted a picture of a company struggling to uphold both its technological promise and its financial obligations to customers.
By mid-2024, the situation had worsened.
Employees attempting to reconcile their earnings with statutory obligations discovered discrepancies that suggested that deductions listed on payslips were not being remitted to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Records at both NHIF and NSSF confirmed that no payments had been made from September 2024 onwards.
The development meant that workers who had continued to serve the company in good faith were not only deprived of their wages in full but also exposed to liabilities in relation to unpaid statutory contributions, which are mandatory under Kenyan law.
The employees’ frustration deepened in July 2025 when management convened a brief meeting to announce that the company was undergoing financial distress and that layoffs would be inevitable.
According to those present, the Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Pamela, informed staff that August 2025 would serve as a notice period, after which any employee wishing to continue with the company would be required to reapply for their position in September.
No written redundancy notices were issued, and the decision was communicated verbally.
In the weeks that followed, company assets such as laptops and office keys were collected, and employees were instructed to remain at home pending further communication.
By September 2025, the situation had deteriorated into complete silence.
The affected workers, some of whom had served the company since its early years, were left without formal termination letters or certificates of service.
Repeated commitments from management to clear salary arrears failed to materialize.
The first promise, made for settlement by 5th September, was postponed to 19th September, then shifted again to the end of the month, and once more to the first week of October.
To date, none of the undertakings have been honoured, leaving employees unable to meet rent obligations and other basic needs.
What makes this latest crisis more troubling is that it comes against the background of earlier public complaints from GiftPesa users and corporate clients, many of whom had raised alarm earlier in the year over difficulties redeeming digital vouchers.
Numerous customers reported that their vouchers, purchased through the platform and marketed as redeemable at thousands of retail outlets nationwide, had become inaccessible.
Users attempting to activate their digital vouchers through the company’s mobile code encountered repeated transaction errors, while efforts to reach customer support through official lines often went unanswered.
By May 2024, frustration among consumers had reached a tipping point, with some corporate clients lamenting that vouchers worth thousands of shillings remained unredeemed months after purchase.
Social media platforms became a forum for dissatisfied users who described their experiences as evidence of a company that had lost operational control.
The complaints, now coupled with internal grievances from staff, point to deeper managerial deficiencies that appear to have undermined both customer trust and employee welfare.
Labour law specialists who have examined similar cases describe the alleged failure to remit statutory deductions as a serious breach of employment obligations, one that could attract both civil and criminal liability if proven.
The Employment Act mandates employers to deduct and promptly remit all statutory payments, while the Income Tax Act and the NSSF Act impose strict penalties for any diversion or delay.
The situation at GiftPesa presents a potential test case for regulatory intervention within the fintech sector, where informal management structures often outpace compliance mechanisms.
Beyond the legal dimension lies a human story of workers who dedicated years to building a company that promised technological advancement and economic empowerment, only to find themselves stranded without pay or documentation.
For some, the uncertainty has extended beyond the loss of income to include reputational harm, as incomplete tax records and unremitted deductions have interfered with creditworthiness and personal planning.
Efforts by affected workers to seek redress have so far yielded little progress.
Some have initiated formal complaints with the Ministry of Labour and the Federation of Kenya Employers, seeking mediation and enforcement of payment obligations.
Others have begun consulting legal counsel to pursue claims through the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
As the weeks advance with no resolution in sight, the situation has taken a toll not only on the livelihoods of those involved but also on the credibility of a company once considered a leader in digital innovation.
Below is what one of the affected described as a firsthand account of frustration and disillusionment, detailing how months of unpaid dues, unremitted statutory deductions, and unkept promises have turned GiftPesa from a symbol of innovation into a source of hardship for its own workforce.
“Hello Cyprian. I was employed at the fintech company GiftPesa for several years, and while operations and employment terms were initially satisfactory, the situation began to deteriorate from 2024 when communication from management became inadequate and salary payments started experiencing delays. Payslips were no longer issued, and upon inquiry with the relevant authorities, I was informed that our payslips were not being approved, suggesting that salaries were processed directly through the bank with deductions rather than through the proper channels. When I sought clarification from the employer, they became unresponsive. The situation worsened when, during the filing of tax returns, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) raised concerns indicating that statutory deductions, including PAYE, the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), had not been remitted from September 2024 onwards despite being reflected on our payslips. I later confirmed with both NHIF and NSSF that no payments had been made during that period, yet salary payments continued to be made net of these unremitted deductions. In July 2025, management convened a meeting and informed staff that the company was experiencing financial difficulties and that layoffs would follow. The Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Pamela, stated that August 2025 would serve as the notice period and that any employee wishing to remain would be required to reapply for their position in September. No formal redundancy letters or written notices were issued, and all communication was verbal. Shortly afterward, company property such as laptops was collected, and employees were instructed to remain at home. Since then, the main issue has remained the clearance of employee dues. Despite multiple promises by management to settle outstanding salaries, none have been fulfilled. The first commitment was to make payments by 5th September 2025, later postponed to 19th September, then to the end of the month, and again to Friday, 3rd October. To date, these promises remain unmet, leaving employees stranded and unable to meet rent obligations as arrears continue to accumulate. I now wish to know where I can formally present my grievances in relation to labour matters, as the situation has become untenable and we have not received any response from the employer.”
