The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Mediamax network over accumulated salary arrears of its employees.
In a statement, KUJ Secretary General Eric Oduor demanded that the media house negotiates a return-to-work formal with the People Daily correspondents or risk their offices being shut down.
“We are giving Mediamax Ltd 24 hours to address the concerns and negotiate a return-to-work formal with the correspondents.
“Failure to which we will escalate the matter, including mobilizing all correspondents to storm and shut the offices of Medimax located along Kijabe Street,” the letter read in part.
Additionally, the statement detailed that the media house, owned by the family of the former President Uhuru Kenyatta, had fired its employees because it was unable to pay their salaries.
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“We stand in solidarity with correspondents of The People Daily, a respected daily newspaper owned by former first family, who have withdrawn their labor over non-payment of their dues for over 12 months.
“This level of impunity being exhibited by the management of Mediamax Ltd is unacceptable and must be stopped by all means,” said Oduor.
The Plight of Journalists at Mediamax
Further, the statement detailed that journalist at the independent media house had been subjected to inhumane treatment because they could not attend to their financial responsibilities.
Some of the employees according to Oduor, had been kicked out of their apartments by landlords because of accumulated rent arrears forcing them to sleep on the streets or in the office with their families.
Despite not receiving salaries for over a year, the employees were still expected to deliver stories every day.
“The correspondents have been subjected to inhuman treatment and have lost their dignity due to inability to meet their financial obligations, yet they sweat every day to deliver stories to the newspaper for publication.
“We are aware that some correspondents have been kicked out by their landlords over accumulated rent arrears, forcing them and their loved ones to spend nights either in office premises or on the streets as they have nowhere to call home,” added the statement.
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Standard Media Woes
The crisis at the Mediamax comes at a time when Standard Media group continues to battle a similar problem that has left many employees at the station jobless.
Despite its reputation as the pioneer of mass media in Kenya, the company has hit headlines with stories of mass layoffs, restructuring and at times complaints from devastated employees.
Also, employees at the media house have complained of going for months without pay and shortcomings which end up affecting delivery in their roles.
On its part, the management has been adamant that its restructuring plan will pay off and eventually calm the current storm.
