Remember the bold driver who publicly protested unfavourable working conditions at the Christ Is The Answer Ministry (CITAM) ?
Well, it turns out that a few days after we highlighted his story of employee oppression at the CITAM Athi River Branch where a virulent school principal has made it increasingly impossible for them to peacefully earn their daily bread, they rudely dismissed Mr Daniel Daniel Mshindi on flimsy grounds.
His only mistake was speaking out against a deeply entrenched toxic culture at the workplace, specifically targeting poorly paid personnel in his Transport Department.
In a long monologue published in the form of WhatsApp statues, Mr Mshindi took no prisoners when making his points heard; or at least seen.
He strongly expressed his displeasure in working long weekly shifts combined with random overtime duties, which include frequent unofficial trips by the principal or chauffeuring junior staff on minor errands without compensation.
That was not all.
Mr Mshindi also extensively divulged how members of the teaching staff have been quietly suffering at the hands of the rogue administrator known to employ crooked tactics like planting spies all over the school.
Following his premature exit after slightly over one year of selfless service, Mr Mshindi has finally gathered the courage to open up on life after unfairly facing the sack.
In his latest written submission forwarded to our newsdesk on Thursday 26th May, he exclusively spilt extra beans on what he clearly painted as a dangerously ugly situation that threatens to escalate into a full-blown employee insurgency unless urgent action is taken.
“Hi, Nyakundi, I read your article about the CITAM Athi River Principal.
I am the driver they replaced after raising the issues facing the staff members.
This is my story.
Now, for the past 1 year, I have worked for 10 hours to 12 hours a day, and I would like to know how I would get my compensation for the extra hours I put in now that they hurriedly replaced me.
So much has been going on at CITAM Athi River.
For the past year, I have been at Branch.
The principal has prohibited the entire school staff from talking to parents.
A particular teacher was once fired because she directly addressed parents.
Her rule is the staff are to be seen but not heard.
Especially when you are not a member of CITAM and don’t have the same religious beliefs, they treat you like an outcast.
They have been trying to instil their religious beliefs in everyone working for them by force.
The said principal questioned me why I don’t attend the weekly devotion and was strictly told to do so.
They don’t understand their boundaries and what the Constitution says about the workplace.
The only time teachers may talk to parents is when the Principal uses them to ask for fee balances while she seats in her office doing nothing.
The teachers that cannot meet the week’s lesson plan are called to the office for lectures.
That’s what she does well.
I think that is her job description.
Do nothing but lecture staff members.
Teachers doubling as conductors, fetching the children from their homes at 5 am are still expected to teach, demand school fees and write up lesson plans.
Make sure the children have lost nothing.
If they did, you look for the items, then join in returning the children home by 4:30 pm.
In between, they expect you to handle the principal’s pressure on why you didn’t do this or that while she seats pretty doing nothing.
I know you know an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
She has the time to gather gossip from one junior staff and another staff and, using the gossip, she victimizes people.
Athi River is a dry and dusty area.
We once had a cold and dry cough with other staff members and we went to the kitchen and request some lemon, ginger and honey concoction.
It’s called ‘dawa’.
The gossipers us with the ‘dawa’ in bottles and what followed were accusations by the Principal that we are drinking alcohol (Muratina) during working hours.
I have been suspected of doing something in the office for going to sign in early.
Every staff member walks on eggshells, and she loves it.
The heat in Athi River is unbearable and the drivers have no place to cover themselves from the heat.
We seat in the van sweating and when you are thirsty, you have to explain to the principal why you are coming back for another bottle of water.
The drivers wash the vans and busses themselves daily and when they ask management for the basic materials for the work; they are told to use what they have.
To this day, the management doesn’t know how the cars are cleaned.
This has been some of the stress that has been in Athi River CITAM.
They run the school like the military.
I wish the staff of CITAM Athi River the best in their struggle for better working conditions and pay,” the source writes.
