The worst companies to work for in Kenya

Worst paying jobs in Kenya: With over 300,000 graduates entering the job market every year in Kenya leading to an exponential increase in the number of unemployed youth, some employers are taking advantage of this unfortunate occurrence by exploiting these unemployed youths, who work for longer hours at very minimal allowances/salaries.

“Currently, very few workers feel confident enough to make demands of their employers. With the Kenyan economy enduring the worst downturn in decades, lots of workers in the Kenya are happy to have a job, any job” – says Victor Matara. There are places, though, where it’s so tough to live that employees can still get companies to pay them extra just for agreeing to work there. Most of the companies that will be on our list are companies that make work miserable for their workers.

1. KBC

This is a is the state-run media organization in Kenya. Most workers at the station who work hard are on a monthly pay of between KShs 8,000 (approx. US$96.50) and KShs 30,000 (approx. US$361.88) despite the fact that they are highly educated while some workers who were brought by senior managers related to them and earn more than them.

2. Brookside Dairy Ltd/Fresher/Daima

Despite making billions every year, these milk dairies can’t afford to pay their employees good salaries. Starting salary for employees in these companies is Ksh. 15,000

3. Mediamax

This media house is ranked the second worst media houses to work for in Kenya after KBC. Apart from top journalists who are paid up to Ksh500, 000, several junior journalists and reporters are paid as low as Ksh25,000. The firm also has a habit of heavy salary cuts and sackings that are conducted in the dead of the night.

4. Kenindia /Madison/ Amaco Insurance firms

The average salary in these insurance companies is Ksh 25,000. What is disgusting here is the fact that senior managers are paid as high as Ksh 600,000 per month but the staff under them is living by the grace of God.

5. Bata

Its pure misery for Bata Shoe Company employees, especially those working at the company,s shop outlets in various towns in country. Branch managers in this company get better retainers and commissions will junior employees only survive on commissions which is simply peanuts.

6. Kencall

KenCall is Kenya’s first international contact center and serves clients in the US, UK and Kenya. It has built a world class facility within Nairobi and deploys state of the art technology to run its operations.. What is shocking is that, despite the owner raking billions from clients, the company pays its employees peanuts, we can call it ‘change’ for someone working in any Kenyan counties. Some of the employees in Kencall are paid as little as Ksh 15,000 and are overworked.

Final Remarks on these worst paying jobs in Kenya

To avoid facing such kind of exploitation, I would advice the youth in Kenya to strive and start their own businesses instead of relying on white collar jobs. Start where you are with what you have and you never know, you might be the next Jeff Bezos!