On Sunday, 29th December 2019, Cnyakundi.com revealed mistreatment of staff at the Kaunda Street-based Kulan Cuisine and Coffee, a restaurant that is Somalia-owned.
Today, a former staff member reached out to this community blog revealing more cases of mistreatment, torture and tax evasion at Kulan.
‘Am much glad that you have Highlighted the misery and employment torture that is at that Rubbish restaurant. I left the restaurant after an illiterate “manager “who knows nothing about managing a restaurant and handling of workers and what the rights of workers are, so the “manager” Named Mohammed abused me “Fuck You” three times’, the anonymous former staff wrote.
The staffer writes that he realized afterwards that the restaurant wasn’t remitting statutory deductions to the relevant authorities.
‘I was deducted NSSF, NHIF and PAYE from my salary, but later on, I realized that they were not remitted to the institutions’, he wrote.
Kulan is a toxic environment that has not contested the 21 incidences of slavery in its ranks as stated by another staff member below:
My friend who left employment there recently stated the below in 21 points:
- Somali employees are treated differently from the other Kenyans.
- Somali employees are bosses in their own right, they are in charge of every dept and a Somali must be present for anything to take place.
- This is not so wrong if merit and experience were the criteria but not so.
- A certified chef in the kitchen has to take instructions from Somali employees most who have no qualifications in culinary and some very little post-primary education. In short, a certified cook takes instructions from any Somali be it the cashier, store keeper or the kitchen supervisor all who are not chefs by any standard.
- This is very unprofessional and a huge demotivator to serious professional.
- Imagine having to follow an order from some whose rank is granted by ethnicity.
- The waiters are in the same dilemma and so are the rest of Kenyan staff.
- There is no disciplinary action against Somali misconduct.
- They are frequently late and maybe abusive and aggressive towards other staff.
- They have been cases of Kenyans facing abusive language and no action is taken.
- Kenyans often resign due to frustration and abusive language.
- The staff are employed on contract and thus dismissal is in the spot. The fight is your wits against the word of a Somali. As such the Kenyans fear the Somalis as they want to keep there Job.
- There has been a case of a Somali staff hurling a knife as he didn’t like how he was served by fellow staff. This is how abbrasive things can be at Kulan.
- The employer has no concern for staff welfare and consistently delays salary causing fights with landlords and caretakers. Pleas are not heeded
- The owners also have a white friend by the name Nick who is known to be abusive to staff and smokes in the premises, causing discomfort to the staff
- The Kenyan staff are provided for a meal of ugali, sukuma for lunch and tea and bread.
- The Somali can, however, enjoy any meal from the menu at any time for free, this is another case of subtle discrimination. The staff can’t even have water from a glass, just tap water is allowed using plastic cups.
- There NHIF and NSSF often go unpaid despite it being deducted and essential for healthcare. Lea is most likely not remitted (not sure).
- This is just a snippet of what my friend who recently left narrated to me. More could be happening and I hope authorities investigate.
- If you visit you will clearly see what I talk about, demotivated people in a toxic environment.
- Please reach out to current and former staff and they will collaborate this.
Slavery In Kenya: Click to READ MORE
