Former workers of Uchumi Supermarkets have turned to Parliament in a renewed push to recover long-standing unpaid benefits, forcing lawmakers to consider summoning the company’s owners over claims that settlement promises made years ago have not been fulfilled.
The dispute involving former staff of Uchumi Supermarkets has now landed before the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee, with ex-employees accusing the retailer of failing to clear salary arrears, gratuity and other terminal dues despite repeated engagements, court processes and restructuring arrangements.
Lawmakers say they will question the owners on why the debts remain outstanding while the business is still linked to expansion plans and renewed operations in some areas.
They also want clarity on how proceeds from company assets and lease income have been handled during the restructuring period.
The committee chairperson and Runyenjes MP Eric Karemba confirmed that the owners will be required to respond to the concerns raised by former employees.
“We have heard you, and I assure you we will get the job done. We will invite the owners of Uchumi to explain all the issues you have raised in this petition,” Mr Karemba said. “We will ask them the amount owed, why they have not settled the dues, and why they are opening new branches as you have alleged before they settle your debts.”
The petition was presented by Philomena Oburenyi and Alois Mukoma, who lead the former Uchumi Staff Welfare Association. They told lawmakers that efforts to recover unpaid dues have dragged on through administrators, courts and the Company Voluntary Arrangement process, without delivering closure for affected workers.
They said commitments made under the CVA to clear staff claims have not been implemented, even after repeated reminders and protests by former employees. The petitioners also claimed that money collected from leases of company properties, including payments reportedly made by China Square, has not been directed towards settling staff obligations.
They further told the committee that key decisions made under the restructuring process have lacked transparency, and that some directives issued during the last Annual General Meeting by the CVA monitor have not been followed. They added that employees affected by the dispute were not fully involved in discussions affecting their final benefits.
According to the petitioners, the delay in payments has left many former workers struggling with basic needs, including medical bills and school fees, while some have died before receiving what they are owed.
During a sitting held on June 23, 2026, the petitioners also accused the company of requiring former employees to sign terminal agreements without proper breakdowns of how final figures were calculated. They argued that the computations were flawed because they excluded statutory deductions such as pensions and Sacco contributions.
The committee is now expected to formally summon the company’s owners to respond to the allegations and explain the status of outstanding payments under the restructuring framework.