Years of silence and unfulfilled promises have left workers at Thika Cloth Mills feeling deceived and desperate. What was once a place of pride and steady employment has turned into a symbol of injustice, where employees claim they have been denied their rightful benefits through a web of corruption and intimidation.
Many now believe that the Ministry of Labour, the very institution meant to protect them, has instead sided with those exploiting them.
The workers say they have contributed faithfully to company deductions, hoping these funds would secure their pensions and benefits.
Yet, despite years of service, none of the money has ever been remitted. Repeated appeals to the Labour Ministry for intervention have only resulted in empty promises and brief, staged visits from inspectors who appear more interested in maintaining appearances than enforcing justice.
Employees allege that behind these visits lies a darker truth ministry officers are being bribed to ignore serious violations.Inside the factory, fear has become a constant companion.
Those who dare to question the company’s management reportedly face threats, transfers, or outright dismissal. The managing director, Tejal Dhodhia, has been singled out by workers as the main source of intimidation.
Employees describe him as “untouchable,” claiming that his influence extends far beyond the factory gates. They say he uses his power to silence dissent and protect his image, while their grievances remain unresolved.
Recent information obtained by insiders suggests that management has even tried to alter the collective bargaining agreement, removing key clauses that protect employee benefits.
This move, if successful, would erase years of progress and leave workers with little legal ground to stand on. Some union leaders, once the workers’ voice, are now accused of siding with management and leaking private complaints back to the directors.
The alleged corruption is not limited to the company alone. Sources close to the case claim that certain officials from the Ministry of Labour have been receiving payments to suppress reports or lose vital documents whenever complaints are sent to Nairobi.
This pattern has continued unchecked, even under the watch of Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua. Workers are now appealing directly to him to break the silence and take decisive action.
Civil rights groups and labour activists have joined in, demanding a full, independent investigation into both the ministry’s conduct and the company’s labour practices.
They argue that the case represents a wider problem in Kenya’s industrial sector, where corruption shields the powerful while the working class suffers in silence.
For the employees of Thika Cloth Mills, justice has become a distant dream. Many fear they will retire with nothing to show for years of hard work.
Yet, despite the intimidation, they continue to speak out, hoping their voices will finally be heard and that accountability will one day reach those who have hidden behind power and influence for far too long.
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