Companies

Nakumatt accuses staff of sabotage following strike

nakumatt

SHOPPERS AT A NAKUMATT BRANCH. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Troubled retailer Nakumatt has termed a strike by its staff as illegal and accused the employees of economic sabotage after it suffered operational hitches Tuesday.

The strong reaction by Kenya's largest retailer comes after a section of its workers took to Mombasa Road to protest the delay of their June and July salaries.

"As a responsible corporate organisation, we are taken aback by a number of ongoing schemes to destabilise this organisation at our weakest point. Such schemes by some unscrupulous individuals amount to an act of corporate and to an extent economic sabotage," a statement from Nakumatt boss Atul Shah said.

"Our unionisable colleagues are reminded that participating in an illegal and unprotected industrial action amounts to a breach of their employments terms," he added.

The retail chain addressed the striking workers at its head office and promised to give direction on the matter from mid-day tomorrow.

Nakumatt, which has been eyeing capital injection from an unnamed private equity fund, has in the past three months seen stocks disappear from its shelves as big suppliers such as Unilever halted deliveries due to mounting debts.

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