EkoRent Africa, the firm behind the all-electric tax fleet is set to exit the Kenyan market.
“We are sad to announce that the company behind NopeaRide taxi hailing service, EkoRent Africa, has filed for insolvency in the Kenyan courts. A hearing date has been set for 13th of December 2022,” EkoRent CEO and founder Juha Suojanen said.
The company blames the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for the failure of the business to pick up, even after receiving funding for additional vehicles.
“Unfortunately, many of the additional vehicles arrived in Nairobi at just about the same time when the strict Covid-19 curfew rules were put in place in March 2020. Those rules lead to daily kilometers driven by Nopea vehicles dropping approximately 60% over night. The timing of these additional Nopea vehicles arriving in Kenya could not have been much worse.,” Suojanen stated.
Scandals
Reports reaching cnyakundi.com in March 2021 showed that infighting at the company, between the directors, destabilised operations and cut funding.
Juha, who is a co-director at the firm is said to have orchestrated the suspension of his partner after he raised questions about financial impropriety and indecent acts at the firm.
What the Finn guy did was essentially steal someone’s company from them. Soujasen further wrote emails intending to tarnish the reputation of his co-director.
In March 2021, EkoRent founder Juha Suojanen was also accused of mistreating staff and covering up a gay rape at the company.
This is seen by how his co-director responded as below:
“I am aware that my co director Mr Juha Suojanen has orchestrated false, malicious and libellous communication to you to the effect that I have been relieved of my role as Country Director for EkoRent Africa because of underperforming and “stealing company money” among other allegations”, stated the email in part.
Rape
The email communication from the ‘ousted’ director of the firm to another points to an ‘unethical behavior’, which cnyakundi.com learns is about a case of sodomy that might have happened between Juha Soujasen and a driver at NopeaRide.
“Early last week I requested the Investment and Management Board of EkoRent Africa Limited to investigate Juha’s role on potential financial impropriety and unethical behavior”, the email stated in part.
READ: Mistreated drivers and dead cars at NopeaRide
Though information is sketchy, Soujasen is said to have sodomised a driver, (name withheld) who has been threatened not to report the indecent act.
In fact, sources say that everybody with information about that act in and outside the firm was threatened with dire consequences if they speak.
There was a screenshot to that effect showing Juha instructing police officers at the Kasarani Police Station to beat the driver.
