Former Standard Group journalist Kizito Namulanda has shared a painful and deeply personal story about how his long battle with cancer was made even harder by the company he had served for 15 years.
His experience highlights not only the emotional and physical struggles of fighting a serious illness, but also what he describes as the unfair treatment he received from Standard Group at a time when he needed support the most.
Namulanda’s troubles started in February 2022 when a doctor noticed something unusual about his persistent hoarseness. He was advised to see a throat specialist, and after further tests, he was diagnosed with throat cancer.
For him, the news was devastating. As a father with a young son, the diagnosis brought fear of the unknown. Searching online for information made things worse because most of what he found pointed to very low survival rates for late-stage throat cancers. It made the future feel even darker.
Doctors later confirmed the seriousness of the disease, and he travelled to India for treatment. There, he underwent both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The side effects were severe. He said the treatment drained him completely, and his body changed drastically.
His weight dropped from 74 kilograms to just 40 kilograms because swallowing food became extremely difficult.
He lost his appetite, his strength, and even his ability to handle basic daily activities.When he returned to Kenya, he chose to isolate himself because his immunity was very low, and Covid-19 cases were rising again.
Doctors warned that even a mild infection could be dangerous. After several months of recovery, he travelled back to India for more treatment. Surgeons removed part of his voice box in a long and delicate operation.
He remembers praying quietly before the surgery and waking up in the ICU feeling disoriented but relieved to still be alive. His wife, who was by his side throughout, struggled to hold back her emotions.
However, just when he thought he was starting to recover, he received news that shocked him even more. On the same day he went for his three-month post-surgery review, a colleague informed him that Standard Group had issued dismissal notices. It was only through that colleague that he learned he had also been affected.
He says the company did not warn him or even consider his medical situation.When he returned to Kenya, he tried to appeal the decision, hoping Standard Group would show understanding after his years of service and the health challenges he was facing. Instead, he says the company insisted on going ahead with his termination and offered severance pay in ten monthly instalments.
He claims he was told to sign the letter or risk losing the payment altogether. With no real choice, he signed.Fourteen months later, Namulanda says he is still waiting for the full payment. He has written several emails explaining how urgently he needs the money, especially because unpaid medical costs and daily expenses have left him in financial distress.
He says Standard Group has still not settled the matter, leaving him frustrated and struggling to move forward.
Despite everything, he says he continues to hope and pray that the company will finally pay what he is owed so he can focus on rebuilding his life after a long fight for his health and dignity.
Add Comment