Staff at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) who are contracted through agencies by Anytime Distributors are expressing deep dissatisfaction with their working conditions.
Employees in various departments, including sales, driving, loading, and turnmen, have shared troubling accounts of exploitation and neglect, raising serious concerns about the company’s practices.
One of the main issues workers face is being required to work long hours and on public holidays without receiving the legally mandated double pay.
Employees have reported that there is no provision for paid leave, and those who fall ill or face personal emergencies are left without financial support.
These policies leave workers vulnerable, forcing them to choose between their health and their livelihood.
For example, a sales employee employed through an agency faced an emergency but was denied payment.
In another instance, a driver who was unable to work for four days due to illness also went unpaid.
These cases highlight the precarious nature of the employment arrangements, particularly for those in physically demanding roles such as loaders, drivers, sales staff, and turnmen, who feel the most strain under these harsh conditions.
The agencies involved Jumbio Agency, PZ, and Jimka Agency are reportedly linked to the CEO of Anytime Distributors.
Workers allege that these agencies operate as a direct extension of the company, raising questions about their independence.
Additionally, there are claims of tribal favoritism, as the leaders of these agencies reportedly hail from a single community, further exacerbating feelings of inequality and exclusion among the workforce.
The grievances do not stop at working conditions.
There are also allegations of discriminatory pay practices.
Workers claim that Asian employees are consistently paid on time, while others must wait until the 14th of the following month, despite the company’s financial year ending on the 25th.
This delayed payment schedule creates financial instability for many employees, compounding their difficulties in managing day-to-day expenses.
The affected workers have described their situation as unbearable and are calling for immediate intervention to address these issues.
They argue that the exploitative practices of these agencies and the lack of accountability from Anytime Distributors reflect a deliberate disregard for the welfare of the staff.
For those in critical roles, such as loaders, sales staff, drivers, and turnmen, the current situation has become unsustainable.
The growing discontent among JKIA workers underlines the need for regulatory scrutiny and labor reforms to protect vulnerable employees.
Without timely action, these exploitative conditions are likely to persist, further marginalizing an already struggling workforce.
