A local Kimeru language radio station, Wendo FM, has started to haemorrhage talents barely 10 days after it fired over ten employees drawn from its programmes, editorial, production and marketing departments.
The sacked employees had downed their tools to protest among other things, delayed salaries, harassment and an arrogant, perpetually head of radio.
The radio station is owned by Tigania East MP, Hon Kabeabea, whom they say has no problem but has employed a ‘grossly incompetent and unprofessional woman’ to head the station.
“SINCE HON KABEABEA TOOK OVER THE LEADERSHIP OF WENDO RADIO, EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THEIR SALARIES ON TIME. FOR INSTANCE, FEBRUARY SALARY WAS DELAYED UP TO LATE MARCH WHILE THE MARCH SALARY HAS NOT BEEN PAID TO THIS DATE,” ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO ASKED FOR ANONYMITY SAID.
The latest news reaching our desk concerning this poorly managed vernacular radio station indicates that it has lost two news presenters to its rival, Thîrî FM.
The two are, Mwirigi Wa Charity who resigned earlier before the strike and Dorcas Nkatha alias Dorcas Wa Karia who was among the sacked staffs.
The station head, Gladys Micheni, had been accused by the fired employees of drunkenness while at work, incompetence, unprofessionalism and running the vernacular radio station owned by Tigania East MP as roadside kiosk.
The striking workers blamed their predicament on the station’s ‘quack’ manager, Micheni, whom they accuse of high-headedness and issuing threats every time they raise their plight with her.
“Kabeabea brought in a quack to head the radio station. Someone who studied Agriculture and Marketing was appointed to head a radio station. Is this not a fat joke equivalent to appointing a farmer to head a hospital? The woman has no idea about media yet she is expected to lead professionals like us,” another staff says.
However, they categorically state that the station has to settle all their dues and ‘leave us alone’.
At the same time, they have appealed to the Media Council of Kenya to intervene and protect all media practitioners across Kenya against ‘exploitation and harassment’ from respective employers while weeding out all ‘quacks’ currently holding managerial positions in media houses.