LEFT: Kenyan business mogul Peter Kahara Munga | RIGHT: Pioneer Group of Schools, Maragua Former Equity Bank board chairman Peter Munga is arguably one of the richest men in Kenya.
He boasts vast wealth with interests that span across finance, insurance, education, and agriculture.
His shareholdings at the Nairobi Securities Exchange are valued at billions.
Not bad the man famed for serving as chairman of the board at the National Oil Corporation, as well as Director at Housing Finance and Britam.
Without a doubt, from the outside, the tycoon's massive empire looks like a very rosy affair.
But recent noises that have been churning out of his long string of enterprises are beginning to paint a rather different picture.
Last week, this blog exclusively reported how personnel at Equatorial Nuts Processors – another one of Munga's flagship firms – had gone for close to three months without a single penny being wired to their accounts.
The workers expressed deep frustrations that as they continue to suffer under the current high cost of living, the former chair of Equity Bank Group has been relentlessly supporting ODM Party leader Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential bid.
They feared that their dues could be funding a failed campaign project.
Days later, teaching staff and casual workers at Pioneer Group of Schools - also owned by Mr Munga - s poke out against prolonged delays in the disbursement of their salaries. Hours after we highlighted their plight, additional sources came out to unearth more deep-rooted troubles at the learning institution. Teachers expressed their dissatisfaction with what they described as an unscrupulous employment process specifically designed to oppress them.
They raised alarm over the absence of official job contracts at the academic establishment.
Hirings and firings are based entirely on verbal agreements.
This has been confirmed by another insider at the school who also confided to us about a similar experience at the hands of the rogue administration.
Speaking to us on Tuesday morning, the source divulged details of entrenched victimization perpetrated by a bullish Pioneer Group of Schools Head Principal notorious for sacking those deemed as 'threats' or 'rebels'.
The dismissals backed by false and baseless allegations are often executed via text message.
Despite years of providing service, they do not bother to honour exiters with a termination letter.
It is an unwritten rule at the institution that anyone who dares cross the Head Principal is done.
As expected, such an unconventional form of management has led to a constant rotation of teaching staff.
This leaves students to be taught by a set of different teachers every term.
There is no need to mention what that does to their performance.
Remember that in this school, parents fork out school fees to the tune of hundreds of thousands.
There are also concerns over prevalent payment discrepancies at the academy.
Salaries are allocated depending on how well applicants bargain during their job interviews.
Negotiations are conducted by Mr Munga himself.
On top of this, employees have complained over generally poor living and working conditions.
Recommendations have been made that the staff houses deserve a long-awaited renovation if not a total upgrade.
It has also been suggested that the welfare of students be looked into.
The boys and girls are reported to suffer 18-hour weekly sessions that leave little or no time for any personal development.
From 4 am to 10 pm, teachers are always in class. "Hi, Nyakundi, It's about Pioneer School. My friend was sacked via a text message. She was told that she is unable to handle Form 4 class yet she was only assigned Form 1 and 2. It doesn't matter how long you had stayed there, if you look like a threat to the headteacher, you are sacked. Some teachers are sacked after only two months, others after even more than five years. It is unfortunate because parents pay up to 160k per term only for their children to be taught by a series of teachers in a single term. Payment is according to how you bargain during the interview. Some are pain 25k others 40k as starting salo. Staff houses are pathetic. Very hectic working conditions. And the students are extremely stretched. Waking up at 4:00 am, sleeping at 10:00 pm and must have teachers in class all the time. I wanted to apply until I saw how stressed my friend was. She was only able to attain her happiness after being sacked. And yes, he does not pay taxes," the source writes.