Vivo Energy's evil plan to forcefully evict Foodies Supermarket

Unfair competition and the use of backdoor underhand means to send competitors packing has been quite a common phenomenon in Kenya. Over the years, numerous reports of politicians and wealthy businessmen fully exploiting their links to higher ranks (sometimes as far as the Head of State) to eliminate competitors have frequented the headlines. In the latest episode of this long-running impunity, Vivo Energy Kenya - the company behind the Shell brand in Africa - has taken advantage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to pursue their plan of forcefully kicking out Foodies Supermarket from their Karen land. In total disregard of the law, a firm contracted by Vivo Energy Kenya this week bulldozed its way into the private property and proceeded to pour building materials at the front entrance of the supermarket. The six trucks drove in, quickly poured out sand and bricks them hurriedly left. A week ago two containers were also dropped at the corner of the front yard. This is despite the court having set the hearing date of Shell's blocked request to demolish the current structure and set up a petrol station to June the 23rd 2020.

Vivo, in June last year, asked Foodies, whose tenancy was renewable, to vacate the premise to allow it to reconstruct it. The retailer, however, contested the decision, arguing that it was a protected tenant. Reliable whispers from the courts informed the Kenyan Digest that Shell, through Vivo Energy Kenya, sent out envelopes stashed with generous endowments to the judge who handled the case at the tribunal stage who in turn got them a favorable ruling which the Foodies Supermarket administration immediately appealed. Considering these circumstances, one could only wonder why such a highly reputable multinational has chosen to completely disrespect sacred orders from the jury and instead resulted in silly bully-tactics to kick out a store that boasts of a respected heritage spreading out over 20 years. From the look of things, the eventual goal of 'Big Boys' Vivo is to intimidate and arm-twist Foodies - through such appalling gestures - into giving up the piece of land since they are too impatient to wait for the law to decide. In the famous words of Michelle Obama, "When they go low, we go high," Foodies Supermarket has, however, stood its ground and refused to bow down to the impunity portrayed by Vivo Energy Kenya. Through sheer courage, the store remains open, after shoving aside the materials dumped on their front door.