Hundreds left jobless by Brookside buyout of Molo milk

A supermarket attendant arranges milk containers. Hundreds of employees from Buzeki Dairy Ltd, former owners of the popular Molo milk brand have been rendered jobless after receiving termination letters on October 31 from their employer. FILE 

In Summary

• Although the employees were promised to be called back after a while, they believe that the company may fail to keep its promise since they were not given any appointment letters like their retained former colleagues.

By EVALYNE GITHINJI
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Hundreds of employees from Buzeki Dairy Ltd, former owners of the popular Molo milk brand have been rendered jobless after receiving termination letters on October 31 from their employer.

This follows the completion process of the company’s dairy section takeover by Brookside Dairy Ltd.

According to one of the employees who formerly held a senior position in Buzeki’s dairy section but was unauthorized to speak to the media, those employees who were retained are mainly those working in the procurement department, drivers and mechanics.

They were paid one month salary, and said they had no clue that they will be laid off.

Most of the employees who retained their jobs were immediately handed appointment letters from Brookside Dairies Ltd after receiving their termination letters.

He noted that on the month of July this year, some of the employees had been asked to re-apply for their jobs but Brookside Dairy Ltd has only reinstated few employees.

He said that the employees believe Brookside may not need their services if they are planning to hold their main milk production processing at their Ruiru processing plant where they have many workers.

Although the employees were promised to be called back after a while, they believe that the company may fail to keep its promise since they were not given any appointment letters like their retained former colleagues. 

Efforts by the Nation to reach both companies for comments regarding the employee’s fate were fruitless.

Buzeki Dairy Ltd, a locally owned milk processor was established in May 2008 and had been able to establish two milk plants in two different locations.

Buzeki’s is fourth in a series of takeovers that Brookside has completed in the past six years starting with Ilara in 2007, Delamere and SpinKnit (makers of Tuzo milk brand). 

Brookside, which is owned by President Kenyatta’s family, has recently cast its eyes beyond the Kenyan borders with the announcement in September of plans to acquire a 20 per cent stake in Ethiopia’s Elemtu Dairy.

The Kenyan firm is also said to be eyeing the Nigerian market where it plans to set up a milk processing plant next year.