A new complaint has brought serious attention to QuickMart Supermarket’s Tom Mboya branch in Nairobi and its staffing contractor, Specific Talent Agency Kenya.
According to a message shared by Cyprian Is Nyakundi, a staff member working in the Loss Control department has described the working environment as unbearable, with claims of tribalism, intimidation, and favouritism dominating the branch.
The staffer alleges that the team leader has been isolating and frustrating employees who are not from her ethnic background or not part of her inner circle.
The situation is made worse by claims that the team leader is in a romantic relationship with a senior executive named Peter, who reportedly protects her actions instead of intervening.
This type of workplace has become toxic and demoralizing for many workers. The anonymous staff member said merit is no longer considered and decisions are made based on tribal identity and personal closeness to those in charge.
The complaint mentioned that many hardworking individuals have been forced out simply because they did not belong.
Dissent is punished, silence is rewarded, and grievances are ignored, creating an environment where employees feel trapped and helpless.
Specific Talent Agency Kenya, the company responsible for staffing QuickMart, has also been accused of doing nothing to correct these ongoing issues, even though workers have been complaining for a long time.
The message sent to Cyprian Is Nyakundi is emotional and desperate, highlighting how deep the frustration has grown among workers.
The complainant called out Florence, the branch leader, accusing her of dividing the team and turning the workplace into a survival zone rather than a place of employment.
Peter, allegedly her romantic partner and a senior figure, was also blamed for watching silently and enabling the mistreatment. This complaint is not isolated.
Other supermarkets, like Magunas, have also been exposed for tribalism, unfair deductions, and harsh treatment of workers. What makes this case more serious is that it also questions the role of staffing agencies like Specific Talent.
By using third-party agencies, companies like QuickMart avoid being held directly responsible for poor treatment of workers. Workers have no proper HR support, and the chain of responsibility is unclear.
Many workers do not even know their rights or who to report to. Specific Talent is becoming known not for protecting workers, but for shielding companies from backlash.
The same agency has been mentioned in multiple other cases where employees were mistreated, fired without explanation, or paid unfairly.
The situation at the Tom Mboya branch is a warning of what happens when agencies are allowed to operate without proper checks.
Instead of solving problems, they are enabling them. Workers are left abandoned and voiceless while companies and agencies pass blame between each other.
QuickMart, with over 80 branches and thousands of workers, must take responsibility. The Ministry of Labour must also step in before things worsen.
If more workers remain silent, this abuse will only spread. The anonymous worker who reached out to Cyprian Is Nyakundi has taken the first brave step. Others should be encouraged to speak out, not just for themselves but for the thousands of others in similar situations.
The question now is whether action will follow or whether this will be just another ignored complaint in Kenya’s growing labour crisis.
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