A fresh labour rights complaint has emerged against Brooklyn Cleaning Services Limited, a Nairobi-based cleaning and hygiene company that has secured contracts with several public institutions, including the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) and other government agencies.
The allegations raise questions not only about the company's employment practices but also about whether public entities awarding contracts are adequately monitoring compliance with Kenya's labour and social protection laws.
According to a whistleblower, the company allegedly pays some employees a monthly salary of KSh10,000 through M-Pesa, yet fails to remit mandatory statutory deductions such as the Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contributions and the Affordable Housing Levy.
If true, the allegations could expose vulnerable workers to significant financial and medical risks while denying them the social protection guaranteed under Kenyan law.
The complainant says the situation has become unbearable for many low-income employees, some of whom support entire families on the modest salary. After paying daily transport costs to and from work, little remains to meet basic household needs. The alleged failure to remit SHA contributions means workers who fall ill are forced to meet hospital expenses from their own pockets despite believing they are employed in formal jobs.
The allegations also raise accountability questions for the institutions that have contracted the company. State corporations are expected to ensure that firms awarded public tenders comply with labour laws and statutory obligations throughout the duration of their contracts. At KETRACO, this responsibility ultimately falls under the office of the Acting Managing Director, Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias, while oversight of labour standards nationally lies with the State Department for Labour and Skills Development, headed by Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. Enforcement of NSSF compliance falls under the National Social Security Fund, while SHA remittances are administered by the Social Health Authority.
Should the allegations prove accurate, the relevant regulators—including the Ministry of Labour, NSSF, SHA, the Kenya Revenue Authority (for statutory deductions where applicable) and contracting public institutions—may be expected to investigate whether workers' statutory rights are being violated and whether contractual obligations are being met.
Below is the complaint received from the employee.
Hello Nyakundi. Kindly hide my identity.
Kuna hii company ya cleaning inaitwa Brooklyn Services. Iko na tender Airport, KETRACO, KLB na zinginezo.
Sasa hawa majamaa wanalipa workers through M-Pesa. Unalipwa KSh10,000. Hakuna kulipiwa SHA, NSSF, na hata Housing Levy haikatwi.
Ukipiga hesabu, asubuhi unaenda job na transport, bado jioni unarudi na transport. Some people wako na familia wanategemea hiyo KSh10,000.
Na bado ukiwa mgonjwa utajilipia hospitali juu hawalipi SHA.
Ni kampuni ya woria.