Buzeki Enterprises Ordered to Pay Former Employees Millions for Unfair Dismissal

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A transport and logistics company owned by business magnate Zedekiah Kiprop Bundotich, alias Buzeki has been given a command by the Employment and Labour Relations Court to pay former employees millions of shillings following unjustified dismissal.

Justice Agnes Nzei ordered Buzeki Enterprises to pay the employees Ksh2.8 million in compensations. Further, the company must reward the former workforce with a certificate of service within 45 days.

Justice Nzei noted that Buzeki Enterprises failed to table the reason for the termination of their contracts.

“The termination, therefore, fails both the procedural and substantive test. It was unfair,” ruled Justice Nzei.

“Pursuant to Section 35 (1) (c) of the Employment Act, the claimants’ employment contracts were terminable by either party giving a twenty-eight days’ written notice. Their employment could not, therefore, be terminated without giving notice,” she added.

Preliminary investigations also revealed that the workers were being underpaid contrary to Labour Institutions Act No. 17 of 2007, the 2013 Regulation of Wages (General Amendment) Order, and the 2015 Regulation of Wages (General Amendment) Order.

The workers used to work for a minimum of eight hours on a standard day and also included overtime which was underpaid and sometimes not paid at all as there was no formal contract signed between the two parties.

Defending their ground, Buzeki Enterprises pointed out that the workers were casual laborers who were paid after ten days via mobile money platforms.

When there was no workload, the laborers were given unpaid time off. The company cited tough economic times, disclosing that one such incident happened around November 30, 2016.

The post Buzeki Enterprises Ordered to Pay Former Employees Millions for Unfair Dismissal appeared first on LitKenya.

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