Storymoja Publishers have once again proven that Kenyan creatives remain vulnerable to exploitation by companies that thrive on deceit. In what can only be described as an outright con job, a voice-over artist has come forward with a detailed exposé, revealing how Storymoja Publishers used his work, wasted his time, and ultimately refused to pay him.
This is not just a case of non-payment it is a deliberate scheme to use artists’ talents and then discard them without compensation.
According to a viral Facebook post by Kwaj Dala, the entire scam began in June last year when he was recommended for a voice-over job by Storymoja Publishers.
They were working on an audiobook for The Matatu From Watamu and specifically needed a Jamaican accent.
Like any professional, Kwaj Dala went to their studio, recorded the entire project, and even returned on June 23rd to make corrections as requested by their producer.
Everything was smooth until it was time for payment.
The contract clearly stated that payment would be made after 30 days. However, when the due date arrived on July 30th, there was nothing. When he followed up, the producer casually told him the project had been “paused,” promising an update by Friday.
That update never came. Sensing something was off, he reached out again on September 12th, only to be hit with a ridiculous excuse, Storymoja Publishers had decided not to use his audio and, therefore, would not pay him. Their reasoning? They had opted for a Kenyan accent instead.
The absurdity of this excuse is impossible to ignore how do you change your mind after an entire project has already been recorded and finalized?
And more importantly, why should the artist be the one to take the loss? Kwaj Dala saw through the lies and pushed further, demanding payment for his work.
But Storymoja Publishers had already set the trap. When he contacted them via email, he was met with a cold and dismissive response, “After considering all the submissions, I regret to inform you that your audio wasn’t selected for the project.”
But here’s where their scam falls apart this was not a submission. It was work. A submission is a short sample, maybe a minute or two.
But Kwaj Dala had recorded the entire audiobook, following their instructions to the letter. If they decided to change the project scope after he had delivered, that was on them. The right thing to do was to pay him for his time and effort.
Determined to fight back, he sought legal advice and was told to get a copy of the contract and the audio file. But when he emailed Storymoja Publishers requesting these documents, they pulled another trick they invited him to their office to “sort things out.”
That meeting was another dead end. The so-called contract they had made him sign was nowhere to be found.
The same producer who had handed him the contract months earlier was now pretending to search for it by touching random speakers and monitors in the office, as if it would magically appear.
Without the contract in his hands, his legal options were limited. Storymoja Publishers knew exactly what they were doing, keeping the only copy of the contract to ensure he had no way to prove his claims in court.
It was a calculated move, one that suggests this is not the first time they have pulled such a stunt.
As he sat in a matatu heading to Khoja, one thought kept ringing in his mind, Why should I be the one to take the loss when they are the ones who changed the terms after I had delivered? It was at that moment that he decided to expose them and warn other creatives against falling into the same trap.
Storymoja Publishers are not just dishonest, they are predators feeding off the hard work of artists. If they can pull this off with a voice-over artist, how many more creatives have they scammed? Writers, illustrators, designers how many have worked with them only to be ghosted when it was time for payment?
This is a wake-up call. Storymoja Publishers must be exposed for their unethical practices. Creatives must be warned. And above all, they must be held accountable. Whether they pay him or not, one thing is clear, the truth is out, and their reputation will never be the same again.
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