Uhurunomics: Choppies Chops 200 Jobs

Another sad day as 200 add to the high rate of unemployment as Botswana retail-chain Choppies exits the Kenyan market.

What is not lost to nyakundireport.com is the manner in which these guys want to evade paying dues to the employees they've sacked.

Where are they expected to start in this Kenyatta plantation?

Termination letters signed by the company’s Human Resource Manager Joshua Were cited redundancy in carrying out the exercise.

The letter dated August 31, 2019 indicates that there are ongoing talks with the Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers (Kucfaw) for a favourable compensation package for the affected workers.

“This termination is due to the reduced business which has been running for several months which you are aware of, and the company is unable to sustain the current wage bill, noting that the business has gone down and is taking time for full recovery,” read the letter in part.

The affected workers have been advised not to report to work even as they serve a one-month notice ending on September 30.

The affected employees are required to clear with management on 15th September, 2019 where they are expected to also get their pay.

However, the manner in which the letter was issued without consulting the workers union raises eyebrows.

“Once you clear and leave, you are no longer an employee, and the company may delay paying the dues or even give less pay since we have not discussed how much to expect,” said an affected employee.

Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers (Kucfaw) Secretary General Bonface Kavuvi said the company had only notified them of the intention to reduce staff numbers, and they had scheduled a meeting with the company management to discuss the matter further.

nyakundireport.com is watching the events keenly.