Nairobi: Civil society groups and labour rights activists in Mombasa have called on the government to investigate allegations of workers' mistreatment and unfair recruitment practices at Coast Bottlers. The activists accuse the Coca-Cola franchise holder in the Coast region, accusing senior management of underpaying, intimidating, and unlawfully dismissing local employees.
According to Kenya News Agency, representatives of the Coast Human Rights Network and the Capital Youth Caucus Association, during a press briefing in Mombasa, reported receiving numerous complaints from Coast Bottlers employees. These complaints included allegations of harassment, withheld payments, and unfair labour practices, which were said to contravene the Employment Act and the Constitution.
Coast Human Rights Network official Michael Magaki mentioned that their organization had initiated an investigation following grievances from workers against the company's leadership. Magaki highlighted a culture of impunity at Coca-Cola and identified two top executives based in the Coast region as the focus of workers' complaints.
Some affected employees have sought legal redress, and Magaki criticized trade unions, particularly the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU), for not intervening on behalf of the workers.
Evans Mumanyi of the Capital Youth Caucus Association expressed concerns about the recruitment of foreign nationals into senior management roles, emphasizing that Kenya has enough qualified personnel to manage such operations. He urged the Directorate of Immigration Services to reassess work permits for expatriate staff and called for government intervention.
Mumanyi also alleged that several local Coca-Cola distributors across Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, and Lamu counties had reduced or ceased operations due to disputes over distribution arrangements, leading to financial losses on delivery trucks purchased on loan. He highlighted the prevalence of unfair labour practices like wrongful termination and delayed salaries in the region and urged companies to uphold workers' rights.
Activist Abel Omimi called on government agencies, including the police, to urgently address harassment complaints from workers, noting that intimidation and coercion in the workplace are criminal offences under Kenyan law.
Margaret Kimbila, whose children were previously employed by the company, shared that their dismissal had impacted her family's ability to meet basic needs. She appealed for their reinstatement, emphasizing the financial strain caused by their unemployment.