A wave of disquiet has been rippling through the corridors of Zuku, the broadband provider under the Wananchi Group umbrella, as employees allege that a climate of intimidation has taken hold in the critical weeks preceding the anticipated takeover by Mauritius-based Axian Telecom.
The focus of much internal discontent has been directed towards Genue Mwaura, who currently presides over a concentration of authority rarely seen in modern corporate governance, occupying the posts of Acting Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director for the Fiber division, and Head of Sales, thereby exerting a formidable degree of influence across multiple operational domains.
Accounts from within the company paint a portrait of an atmosphere where professional dissent appears to carry a perilous cost.
According to sources familiar with internal dynamics, the leadership style attributed to Mwaura has been marked by an uncompromising stance toward those whose viewpoints diverge from his own, with reports of abrupt dismissals, the systematic bypassing of the Human Resources function, and the imposition of sweeping Performance Improvement Plans upon entire departments in what many interpret as a calculated bid to precipitate voluntary departures.
The absence of the moderating influence traditionally exercised by human capital management has, in the eyes of many employees, deepened an already fragile sense of workplace security.
Reports circulating within the company’s workforce suggest that the last distribution of sales commissions occurred over a year ago, an omission that has been met with quiet resentment, particularly against the backdrop of what many describe as a leadership style reliant on brusque language and a readiness to marginalise dissenting voices.
The resultant environment has, according to internal commentary, become one where professional dialogue is stifled, morale is eroded, and a sense of trepidation permeates daily operations.
These developments come at a moment when the broader corporate structure is on the cusp of transition.
Axian Telecom has formally moved to acquire an overwhelming 99.63% stake in Wananchi Group Holdings, a transaction that, if ratified, would markedly extend the Mauritian operator’s reach across East Africa through the absorption of Zuku’s broadband infrastructure in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Rwanda.
The proposal remains subject to approval by the COMESA Competition Commission, which has set an October 3 deadline for the submission of input from stakeholders and interested parties.
Industry observers note that such periods of corporate realignment often create fertile ground for internal instability, as leadership manoeuvres to consolidate power ahead of ownership changes.
Within Zuku, the perception among numerous staff members is that the current climate is less the by-product of ordinary operational strain than the outcome of deliberate strategies aimed at reshaping the internal power balance in anticipation of the Axian integration.
As the regulatory process advances, the fate of both the acquisition and the company’s internal culture appears poised at a delicate intersection, with the coming months likely to determine not only the corporate ownership structure but also the professional environment in which Zuku’s employees will find themselves operating.
Below is what many within the organisation privately describe as the culmination of months of simmering tension, where corporate ambition and personal authority appear to have converged in a manner that has left the workforce navigating an atmosphere of uncertainty, muted defiance, and quiet calculation over whether to endure the prevailing conditions or seek opportunities beyond the company’s walls.
“Hi Nyakundi. Things here have become unbearable. Ever since talk started about Axian Telecom coming in, the atmosphere has completely changed. Genue Mwaura is running this place like his personal empire. He is the Acting CEO, Managing Director for Fiber, and Head of Sales, so there’s no one above him to question anything. If you disagree with him or even ask the wrong question, you’re suddenly on his bad side, and people have been fired just for challenging his decisions. HR doesn’t have a say anymore. Mwaura personally orders departments onto Performance Improvement Plans, and it’s clear the aim is to make people quit. Whole teams are walking on eggshells, terrified they’ll be the next target. Many of us haven’t seen our sales commissions since last year, and on top of that, he uses language that’s outright insulting. This is meant to humiliate and silence anyone who tries to speak up. It feels like he’s deliberately breaking people down ahead of Axian’s entry so that by the time the takeover happens, there’s no one left to stand in his way. The fear is constant. People don’t talk openly anymore we just keep our heads down and hope to survive the day.”
