Safaricom to pay ex-staff Sh7.2m for wrongful dismissal

The Employment and Labour Relations Court has awarded two former Safaricom senior managers Sh7.2 million for wrongful dismissal.

Justice James Rika said the termination of Charles Muema Munuve and Mary Rono was unfair and not based on valid reasons.

Consequently, the judge ordered Safaricom to pay Mr Munuve Sh2.98 million and Ms Rono Sh4.22 million equivalent to eight and seven months gross salary respectively, in compensation for unfair termination.

Mr Munuve and Ms Rono, who were area sales managers in North Coast and Rift Valley respectively, were both summarily dismissed on June 28, 2018.

At the time of his sacking, Mr Munuve was earning Sh331,000 while her counterpart had been promoted to become senior manager retail operations with a gross package of Sh528,000.

The claimants were dismissed on two similar grounds – that they failed to adhere to the requirements of ensuring proper distribution, accounting, activation and monitoring of telecommunication devices.

They were also accused of failing to ensure that the company’s assets were used for intended purposes, which resulted in the devices being used in competition networks.

However, the duo denied the allegations. The dispute arose after the company bought 90,000 Huawei Y 311 devices for Sh544.5 million for distribution to the dealers, agents and shops for free through the area sales managers.

Safaricom said the managers failed to offer satisfactory explanation and were therefore taken through disciplinary processes and found culpable. Justice Rika said the claimants had respectively worked for 15 and 13 years and had exemplary records with the company.