A fresh development has emerged in the Carrefour staff mistreatment saga, after Majid Al Futtaim Management Services demanded an explanation from the Carrefour Two Rivers Branch following the unfair dismissal of an employee, Byron Makokha.
Makokha was sacked for speaking out against the injustices and poor working conditions at the company’s hypermarket located at Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi.
Makokha had written to us on Thursday, February 2, 2023, detailing the alleged violations of the code of conduct by his line manager, Head of the Department Immanuel Toris, and Supervisor Geoffrey Langat.
He claimed that junior staff were constantly intimidated, frustrated, and insulted by the aforementioned supervisors.
He had attempted to raise the issue with management, but no action was taken, which prompted him to seek the help of the media in getting the matter highlighted.
Carrefour responded to Makokha’s allegations with a show-cause letter, accusing him of making unverified claims.
However, Makokha maintained that his revelations were factual and offered a response letter to support his claims.
But the hypermarket was not satisfied with his response and invited him to a disciplinary hearing.
After a disciplinary meeting on February 13, 2022, the committee ruled that Makokha had breached his contractual obligations and the company’s code of ethics, resulting in his dismissal for “gross misconduct”.
Carrefour Kenya Sacks Employee For Speaking Out Against Injustices
Despite these tribulations, Makokha has not yet given up his quest for justice, and in his latest move to be heard, he decided to make an appeal to Carrefour’s parent company, Majid Al Futtaim Limited.
He submitted a full report regarding the incident and called Majid Al Futtaim’s main offices in Dubai through a hotline number to explain the circumstances surrounding his sacking.
Following the submission of the report, the victim was informed that the details of the report had been provided to Majid Al Futtaim Management Services.
The company’s officials have now written a letter to the Carrefour Two Rivers Head Office to justify why they sacked Mr. Makokha.
However, Carrefour has not yet responded to the Dubai office with an explanation of their actions.
The Head Office in Dubai is not happy about the report and they are now demanding an answer from Carrefour Two Rivers Branch.
This latest move by Majid Al Futtaim Management Services has sparked hope among Makokha and his supporters that justice will finally be served.
Will this latest move lead to Makokha finally getting justice? Only time will tell.
It is worth noting that this incident has raised concerns about the treatment of employees in Carrefour Kenya hypermarkets operating in the country.
Makokha’s allegations of mistreatment and poor working conditions are not unique and have been reported at the retail store in the past.
Employees from their various branches across the country have complained of racial discrimination and slavery-like conditions meted upon them by their unreasonable supervisors.
Data Privacy Violation, Racial Discrimination and Modern Day Slavery By Carrefour Kenya Management
Shockingly, despite endless complaints, Franck Moreau, the Country Manager of Carrefour Kenya, has done little to address the concerns raised.
What is his job if he cannot even handle complaints from staff? He is earning a salary for simply spinning in his office chair five days a week.
White privilege is real, and it’s evident that it has seeped into the corporate culture of this French retailer.
It’s high time that officials from the labour department and defenders of workers’ rights intervene in this situation.
Makokha is just one victim who was bold enough to speak out; there are hundreds more suffering in silence.
Heads must get rolling!
In the meantime, we encourage more workers at Carrefour Kenya to speak out against these violations and share their harrowing experiences at the hands of their oppressive bosses.
Their voices must be heard and their concerns addressed.
It is time for the top management to take responsibility for their actions.
Carrefour Kenya must be held accountable for its abhorrent treatment of employees, and Franck Moreau must be held responsible for allowing the injustices to continue under his watch.
We urge all workers at Carrefour Kenya to stand together and demand a safer and fairer workplace.
