Leading aquaculture enterprise ‘Victory Farms‘ based near Lake Victoria continues to be at the center of controversy, with new claims surfacing regarding its operations
The company, which produces tilapia for both local and international markets, has once again been accused of mistreating its staff and employing foreign labour in key positions, a practice that has been sharply criticized in the past.
This fresh wave of allegations comes months after our previous report in September 2024, which exposed severe issues surrounding the treatment of local employees.
At that time, workers were reportedly subjected to long hours under harsh conditions, with minimal pay and no overtime benefits.
The company’s management, largely composed of foreign nationals, was accused of disregarding local labour laws and exploiting workers to maximize profits, while sidelining qualified Kenyans for crucial roles.
Now, additional reports point to the ongoing practice of hiring foreign nationals for senior positions, often at the expense of qualified Kenyan workers, and a continued atmosphere of intimidation and discrimination.
Claims include the sacking of dozens of staff, the unlawful firing of long-serving employees, and the unfair treatment of local workers, especially in light of recent leadership changes under the Nigerian CEO, Mr. Nche Wadike.
“Good evening Mr. Cyprian. Kindly cover up my identity.
Last year you reported a case on Victory Farms. And until today, no action has been taken. Beginning of the year, the sales team were taken for a workshop in the ROO farm where a lot was discussed, and they were touching on the operations and some of the concerns you raised.
For your information, Victory Farms is now a hell of operations. The Victory Farms problem is the Nigerian CEO Mr. Nche Wadike. Currently, the Victory Farms owner, Mr. Joe, is on a private national assignment leaving Victory Farms in the hands of Nche Wadike.
Over the past four months, Victory Farms has fired (38) sales employees, outnumbered casuals, and (23) senior officers in various departments. Most shockingly, Nigerians and foreign nationals are occupying these lucrative positions. By today:
(1) Madam Linda Mbona, who has managed the hatchery since 2015, is jobless, the job given to a Nigerian and Ghanaian.
(2) Mr. Ganira, Nairobi manager, got sacked under unclear circumstances.
(3) Md. Joyce Machigere, Sales director, was pushed to resign.
(4) Collins (IT), Nickson (fleet), Christine (fleet), Rachel (finance), Festus (Admin), Lawrence (Admin), Jared (Admin), and a bunch of sales team and casuals have been sacked.Now, the CEO has come up with a strategy to run Victory by employing foreign labor. For instance, imagine the Philippine national carrying out the fish feeding practice, something which can be done by locals. And he gives strong instructions down the chain of command, something he does intentionally to get you out of your department.
He’s gone to an extent of deploying a rogue company security team who ruthlessly manhandles Victory employees. The ones, Mr. John Kemunche, Mr. Romans Omutto, Mr. Peter Kisaka, and Mr. Alex. These men are so rogue to an extent that every Victory employee thinks of resigning should they come your way. Mr. Romans and Kemunche try seeking sexual compensation from ladies in order to cover up for their cases. As for men, should you be found in any cases, it is always one touch.
Currently, Victory Farms is not a going concern and even supply has drastically dropped since the CEO is more concerned with minor things and forgetting the key business.
An even more annoying aspect is that every employee is entitled to data protection and privacy. Every Mpesa statement for all Victory Farms employees is always at hand with these security teams. In Victory, it’s this tough: when you’re earning Kshs. 15,000, then your expenditure shouldn’t exceed that in your Mpesa statement.
If you have a business anywhere, then you have to declare. You can’t transact with your family, friends, or even customers. You have to declare your marital status, and it’s compulsory. All these in the name of conflict of interest, and you have to declare.
The trend of contract termination and human resource management is worrying. Kindly investigate this and then post it,” one distraught employee wrote to us on Tuesday.
As these new allegations unfold, the growing concerns over Victory Farms operational structures and their impact on employees are becoming more pressing.
In light of the ongoing reports, workers have started to reach out to regulatory bodies such as the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU), the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) in an attempt to seek justice and remedy the situation.
These organizations are being urged to investigate the company’s practices and enforce fair treatment and adherence to local labour laws.
As a media outlet committed to holding powerful institutions accountable, we will continue to follow this matter closely, ensuring that the voices of the affected employees are heard.
