A former employee of Legend Petroleum Equipment Limited says eight years of service have left her unemployed, without her salary and struggling to take care of her two children after she was allegedly told not to report to work in July 2026.
The former employee, who says she worked for the company from May 2018 until June 2026, claims she is owed approximately KSh325,000 in unpaid salary in addition to another KSh1.212 million she says she personally advanced to the company's director over several years.
According to her account, the total amount she believes she is owed is approximately KSh1.537 million, before any other employment related claims are considered.
She says the situation has left her, at 39, unemployed and struggling to provide for her two sons.
The former employee says she was working as an Admin Officer and was responsible for petty cash. She alleges that Daniel Macua Ndonga, whom she identifies as a director, would sometimes ask her for money when cash was urgently needed.
She claims that what began as relatively small amounts eventually grew into substantial personal advances.
According to her account, she sometimes used her own money to cover amounts requested by Ndonga, with some payments allegedly going directly to him while others were sent to family members, friends, suppliers and other individuals at his instruction.
She says her records show that approximately KSh1.812 million was advanced, with two repayments of KSh300,000 each made on April 11, 2025 and January 7, 2026.
That left what she calculates as an outstanding balance of KSh1.212 million.
The former employee says she has bank records, payment records, messages, repayment records and employment documents which she believes can help establish what happened.
Six months without salary ¶
According to her account, the employment dispute became particularly serious towards the end of her time at the company.
She says that in June 2026, she received a call from Ndonga informing her not to report to work in July because there was allegedly no work going forward.
She says she was not given one month's notice to prepare for the loss of employment.
At the time her employment ended, she claims she had approximately six months of unpaid salary at a monthly salary of KSh50,000.
She calculates the outstanding salary at approximately KSh325,000.
For a single mother supporting two children, she says the loss of income has had immediate consequences.
She claims her younger child has been unable to attend school because she has been unable to raise the required money.
She also says she is struggling with food, rent, transport, electricity and other household expenses.
The KSh1.212 million dispute ¶
The former employee's second complaint concerns money she says she advanced over several years.
She claims there were occasions when Ndonga would repay part of what he owed before borrowing again.
Because she had worked with him for years, she says she trusted him and continued providing financial assistance when he said he was stuck or needed money urgently.
She now claims the outstanding amount has reached KSh1.212 million.
She further says that in previous communications, Ndonga acknowledged the amount owed and indicated that he would repay her KSh300,000 every month.
She says it is therefore painful to now receive communications in which, according to her account, her employment and the alleged borrowing are disputed.
Where the money allegedly went ¶
The former employee has provided a detailed account of transactions which she says form part of the outstanding amount.
Some of the transactions she lists as being made directly to Daniel Macua Ndonga include:
- KSh135,000 on August 7, 2023
- KSh50,000 on August 16, 2023
- KSh20,000 on January 25, 2025
- KSh40,000 on March 18, 2025
- KSh80,000 on March 29, 2025
- KSh18,000 on March 31, 2025
- KSh140,000 and KSh10,000 on April 5, 2025
- KSh98,000 on April 19, 2025
- KSh40,000 and KSh10,000 on April 25, 2025
- KSh27,000 on April 26, 2025
- KSh5,000 on April 28, 2025
- KSh20,000 on March 30, 2026.
She also says she was instructed to make payments to other individuals and entities.
These include KSh475,000 to Michael Ndonga Macua, which she says she was told was required to release a vehicle allegedly stuck at KRA Customs.
She lists another KSh193,000 paid to Peris Susan Wangui Macua, including KSh150,000 allegedly connected to a vehicle that was said to be stuck at the port.
Other transactions listed include KSh200,000 to Vincent Bukhala, which she says she was told related to a procurement or tender matter involving Tharaka Nithi County and Dellcreek Developers Limited, and KSh100,000 to Samuel Mugo, allegedly for a land search in Naivasha.
She also lists KSh65,000 sent to Julius Wanjohi Ngunjiri for alleged land documentation, KSh32,000 to an ABC Bank account and KSh152,000 to Ngao Credit.
These transactions are allegations contained in the former employee's account and would require independent examination of the underlying financial records.
She says she has evidence ¶
The former employee insists she is not asking the public to accept her account without evidence.
She says she has bank transaction records, mobile money records, messages discussing the alleged debt, repayment records, employment records, KRA records showing PAYE associated with the companies, SHA records and other communications.
She also says she has records involving Legend Petroleum Equipment Limited, Dellcreek Developers Limited and Transel Energy Limited, which she understands to be companies associated with Ndonga.
She says she is willing to have the documents independently examined and verified.
Questions over NSSF and SHA ¶
The former employee has also raised questions about statutory employment contributions.
She says that after approximately eight years of service, she has not seen the NSSF contributions she expected.
She further says that although SHA payments were made for her at one point after the system was introduced, she understands that the payments later stopped.
She is now seeking to establish what was deducted from her salary, what was actually remitted and what remains outstanding.
These are matters that can be independently checked through the relevant statutory records.
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) should establish whether the employer made the required contributions during the period of employment.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) should establish whether the employee's health contributions were properly submitted during the period in question.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) can also verify the PAYE records where the former employee alleges that deductions and employment records exist.
A similar complaint: Casa Marketing Solutions ¶
The concerns come against the background of another complaint previously brought to this platform involving Casa Marketing Solutions, where employees alleged persistent salary delays and said workers were struggling to pay rent, meet household expenses and support their families.
The complainants in that case also called for the Labour Office to investigate whether employees were being paid their wages on time and whether the company's employment practices complied with the law.
The similarity is clear.
In both cases, workers say they performed their duties but were left waiting for money they believed they had already earned.
Another complaint involved workers at Line Plast Group ¶
A separate complaint previously received concerned Line Plast Group, where a production worker alleged that employees had experienced problems with delayed or inadequate income because production was frequently interrupted by shortages of raw materials.
The complainant claimed some workers were being given fewer working days and could end up earning as little as KSh7,000 a month.
Workers also raised concerns about statutory contributions and alleged intimidation when salary grievances were raised.
While the circumstances differ from the Legend Petroleum complaint, the cases point to the same vulnerability facing employees when their income, statutory benefits and employment security become uncertain.
CRBC workers also raised concerns over unexplained pay changes ¶
Another complaint previously highlighted involved civilian drivers working for China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
Workers alleged that they received payslips showing approximately KSh21,000 reductions from their usual salaries without prior explanation and claimed that employees who questioned the changes faced threats.
The allegations were not independently verified, but the complaint raised questions about communication between employers and workers when changes to remuneration are introduced.
The Legend Petroleum complaint similarly raises questions about whether employees are receiving clear information about their employment status, wages and statutory benefits.
Kenyan courts have previously ordered payment of unpaid wages ¶
Kenyan employment courts have dealt with cases involving unpaid salaries, unlawful termination and unremitted statutory deductions.
In one Employment and Labour Relations Court case, the court awarded a former employee unpaid salary, notice pay, compensation and other employment dues after finding the termination unfair.
In another case involving unpaid salary and NSSF deductions, the court ordered the employer to remit the statutory dues that had not been paid to NSSF.
The cases do not establish what happened at Legend Petroleum.
They demonstrate, however, that disputes over unpaid wages, termination and statutory contributions can be taken through formal labour and judicial processes.
What the Labour Ministry should investigate ¶
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, through the relevant Labour Officer, should examine the former employee's employment records, the circumstances under which her employment ended, the alleged six months of unpaid salary and any terminal dues that may be outstanding.
If the employer says there was no work available, the circumstances surrounding the termination should be examined against the applicable requirements of Kenyan employment law.
Kenyan courts have previously held that termination must meet both substantive and procedural fairness requirements.
If the matter amounted to redundancy, the applicable statutory requirements would also need to be considered.
The financial allegations require a different investigation ¶
The alleged KSh1.212 million personal advances are separate from the employment dispute.
If the former employee has evidence showing that money was transferred at the direction of a company director and that the amounts remain outstanding, she can present those records to the appropriate authorities and pursue recovery through the proper legal channels.
If the evidence points to possible fraud, abuse of entrusted funds or another criminal offence, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) can determine whether the matter meets the threshold for a criminal investigation.
The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) would only have jurisdiction if the evidence establishes a matter falling within its statutory mandate, particularly where public resources or corruption related conduct are involved.
The Kenya Revenue Authority should independently verify any PAYE issues, while NSSF and SHA can verify the statutory contribution records.
The former employee is asking for more than sympathy ¶
Her appeal is not simply for financial assistance.
She wants her employment records examined.
She wants the alleged unpaid salary recovered.
She wants the KSh1.212 million in personal advances investigated.
She wants her statutory contributions established.
And she wants help finding another source of income.
She says she is prepared to present her documents to lawyers, investigators and other relevant professionals.
She also says she needs immediate assistance because her children are struggling to remain in school and she is unable to meet basic household expenses.
The complaint received ¶
MY STORY: I WORKED FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND NOW I AM BACK TO ZERO My name is XXX. I am a 39-year-old single mother of two boys. For eight years, I worked for Legend Petroleum Equipment Limited, from May 2018 until June 2026. Legend Petroleum Equipment Limited is part of the Legend Group of Companies, which includes Legend Petroleum Equipment Limited, Legend East Africa Limited, Legend Motors Limited and Legend Storage Yard Limited. For eight years, I worked, served faithfully and trusted the people I worked for. I never imagined that one day I would find myself without a job, without my salary, without savings and struggling to provide even the most basic needs for my children. In June 2026, I received a phone call from Mr. Daniel Macua Ndonga, a Director, informing me not to report to work in July because, according to him, there was no work going forward. There was no one-month notice given to allow me to prepare myself and look for another source of income. Today, I am unemployed and struggling. But my biggest problem is not only losing my job. SIX MONTHS OF UNPAID SALARY At the time my employment ended, I had approximately six months of unpaid salary, at a monthly salary of KSh 50,000. That means approximately KSh 325,000 in salary is outstanding. For a single mother with two children, KSh 50,000 is not a small amount. It is food, school fees, rent, transport, electricity and basic family needs. I am now unable to meet those needs. My younger child has even been unable to attend school because I have not been able to raise the money. THE KSh 1.212 MILLION I AM OWED There is another matter that has left me completely devastated. During my employment, I was an Admin Officer and was responsible for petty cash. Over the years, Mr. Daniel Macua Ndonga would sometimes request money from me when he needed cash urgently. At first, the amounts were relatively small. The petty cash would sometimes go negative by around KSh 100,000. As time went on, the amounts increased. Because I trusted him and had worked with him for years, I began using my personal money to cover amounts he requested. Sometimes the money was for business operations. At other times, I was instructed to send money to his family members, friends, suppliers or other people. The arrangement continued for years. There were occasions when he would repay part of what he owed me, and later borrow again. Because I trusted him, I continued helping whenever he said he was stuck or needed money urgently. Eventually, the amount became very large. According to my records, the total amount advanced was approximately: KSh 1,812,000 I received two repayments: KSh 300,000 on 11 April 2025 KSh 300,000 on 7 January 2026 This leaves an outstanding balance of approximately: KSh 1,212,000 I have records of transactions, messages and communications which I believe support my account of these transactions. In some of our previous communications, Mr. Ndonga acknowledged the amount owed and indicated that he would repay me KSh 300,000 per month. That is why it is extremely painful for me to now face a position where I am being told, according to communications I have received, that I was never employed and that he never borrowed money from me. WHERE THE MONEY WENT The money was not simply handed over as one lump sum. I have records showing various transactions made directly to Mr. Ndonga and others made to people or entities at his instruction. Some of the transactions include: Directly to Daniel Macua Ndonga: 7 August 2023 – KSh 135,000
16 August 2023 – KSh 50,000
25 January 2025 – KSh 20,000
18 March 2025 – KSh 40,000
29 March 2025 – KSh 80,000
31 March 2025 – KSh 18,000
5 April 2025 – KSh 140,000
5 April 2025 – KSh 10,000
19 April 2025 – KSh 98,000
25 April 2025 – KSh 40,000
25 April 2025 – KSh 10,000
26 April 2025 – KSh 27,000
28 April 2025 – KSh 5,000
30 March 2026 – KSh 20,000. There were also payments I was instructed to make to other people. These included: Michael Ndonga Macua — KSh 475,000
Peris Susan Wangui Macua — KSh 193,000
Samson Kamau Ndonga — KSh 50,000
Vincent Bukhala — KSh 200,000
Samuel Mugo — KSh 100,000
Julius Wanjohi Ngunjiri — KSh 65,000
ABC Bank — KSh 32,000
Ngao Credit — KSh 152,000. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION I am not asking people to believe me simply because I have told my story. I have documentation that I am prepared to provide to the appropriate authorities and professionals. I have: Bank transaction records; Mobile money/payment records where applicable; Messages discussing and acknowledging the money owed; Records of repayments; Employment-related records; KRA records showing PAYE associated with the companies; SHA records; Transaction history involving the companies I worked with; Other communications relating to the money advanced and repayment promises. I also have records involving Legend Petroleum Equipment Limited, Dellcreek Developers Limited and Transel Energy Limited, which I understand are companies associated with Mr. Ndonga. I am willing to have these documents independently examined and verified. I ALSO LOST MY EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS After approximately eight years of service, I am now out of employment. I was not prepared for this sudden loss of income. I am also concerned about my statutory employment contributions and benefits. I have not seen the NSSF contributions I expected, and although SHA was paid for me at one point after its introduction, I understand that the payments later stopped. I am therefore trying to establish exactly what was deducted, what was actually remitted and what remains outstanding. WHAT THIS HAS DONE TO ME I am exhausted. I am worried about where the next meal will come from. I am worried about school fees. I am worried about rent and household bills. I am worried about what happens when my children need something and I have nothing to give them. After eight years of working, I never imagined that I would find myself in this position. I trusted the people I worked for. I used my own money because I believed that the money would eventually be returned like he used to do before. I now have no job and, according to my records, KSh 1.212 million remains outstanding, in addition to approximately KSh 325,000 in unpaid salary. That is approximately: KSh 1.537 MILLION between the outstanding personal advances and unpaid salary, before considering any other employment-related claims that may arise after proper review.
The allegations contained in the complaint have not been independently verified. The appropriate authorities should also establish the facts rather than relying solely on either side's account.
For the former employee, however, the immediate problem remains painfully simple: after eight years of work, she says she is out of employment, approximately KSh325,000 in salary is unpaid and another KSh1.212 million in personal advances remains outstanding.
She says she is not asking for pity.
She is asking for the records to be examined, the truth to be established and whatever is legally owed to her to be recovered.