A source that worked for East Africa Spectre, a company owned by Raila Odinga read about the Pro Gas expose and shared that ‘there are many employees going through the same”.
East Africa Spectre, based along Mombasa road, is connected to Mohamed Jaffer’s Pro Gas because it is a Cylinder manufacturing company along Mombasa road, owned by Raila Odinga. I have worked there since 2014. It is imperative to note, for years, the Odinga family has had vested interests in the gas industry trading as East African Spectre. The company manufactures liquid petroleum gas cylinders. The Odinga firm started trading as Erection Ltd but later changed to East African Spectre.
- The management of specter isn’t paying employees according to Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Though they are aware of the salary they should be paying workers, but they don’t.
- Of late, the company isn’t providing employees with PPEs. They said workers should arrange how to buy their own safety boots. Which is against the CBA.
- The company has done away with milk that it has always given workers in some sections of work stations (milk is in the CBA) thou they should give every employee. They don’t
- There is a lot of threats and frustrations to workers mostly from the HRM who apparently is the wife to Raila Junior and the MD herself Madam Ida Odinga.
- Many courageous employees who are able to speak up and open up are threatened a lot.
The employee frustrations are written on the Wall of Men’s washrooms at East Africa Spectre.
“Hio union mumeenda kutafta haki,when that time comes mutatafuta hio haki mpaka mchoke hamtapata”, Ida Odinga
“If you go to Spectre men’s washrooms, you will be surprised how they express themselves writing on the walls, insults, curses etc”, the former staff says.
If one complains, they are sacked.
I know a guy who was sacked because of this. He complained about the salary that had not changed for 4 years or so. He was given a contract stating that a salary increment would be due in 5 months, in May 2021.
However, he was called on 25th May 2021, talked into accepting the same salary, he refused and asked the HRM to write the reason why they were not horning the contract.
He was sacked the same day with trumped up reasons such as poor performance, etc.
There was no evidence of poor performance, no disciplinary issues, no suspensions.
The forme staff is now worried if the union will be successful in proving their case so that they can get paid their monies.
“They have terminated contracts before for people that I know, and none of them ever gets the service… they even lied to some permanent employees to join a scheme, and when they retired last year until today, they haven’t received their services. One of them actually calls Raila uncle”, a former staff narrated.
“There’s another case that was even ordered by conciliator at the labour in 2020, but they have never paid the guy till date and as for me even the May salary they have refused to pay me and service”, the former staff added.
The former staff recounts when workers joined union, and Madam Ida was very mad about it.
“Hio union mumeenda kutafta haki,when that time comes mutatafuta hio haki mpaka mchoke hamtapata”, Ida is reported to have said.
This seems to be happening.
“Right now am jobless with a wife and two kids. Am wondering how baba can go around the country talking how they are planning youths to be this and that yet his home ground people are slaves”, the former staff complained.
