Staff members contracted through agencies by Anytime Distributors have raised serious concerns about the exploitative working conditions they are enduring. According to a source, employees especially those working in the sales, driving, loading and turnman departments are being forced to work long hours and on holidays without receiving overtime pay.
Ashok Madala is the CEO and search on their website shows that Anytime was started in 2016 to ensure informal businesses are given an opportunity to grow and increase their revenue with services such as loans and access to their essential commodities at best prices in the market.
“Anytime is a B2B e-commerce platform that eliminates the inefficiencies of traditional trade by digitising the retail chain. Anytime has provided over 20,000 informal retailers (dukas) the convenience to buy over 300+ products from our sales app,” it boasts.
Apart from Madala, other directors are Nikesh Kumar Patel, Kailash Chandra and Abishek Kunchakuri the director sales.
Gilbert Makokha is head of finance, Adil Shah head of logistics with Steve Ndalo human resource manager,
Anytime is said to undervalue its KRA returns and does not pay NSSF, Paye and housing levy. The CEO is known to sexually exploit female workers.
“Anytime ensures retailers get better ROI and distributors/ manufacturers grow volume and reach more retailers through our wide distribution network and we make essential goods consistently available to consumers in underprivileged communities”.
And that they work to understand the individual needs of informal retailers by engaging them through different channels before connecting them to whichever services that best helps them grow their business. This could mean ensuring a great assortment of low priced goods is available to them, providing a way for them to manage inventory or facilitating finance.
In addition, the staff is reportedly not granted leave and there is no payment for those who fall ill or face emergencies. One case involves a sales employee, hired through one of the agencies who faced an emergency but was denied payment.
Similarly, a driver who fell ill for four days was not compensated. Workers describe their situation as dire, particularly for loaders, sales staff, drivers and turnmen who bear the brunt of these conditions.
The agencies in question Jumbio Agency, PZ and Jimka Agency are reportedly connected to Anytime Distributors CEO, with workers alleging that the agencies function as an extension of the company.
The source further noted a pattern among these agencies, with all their leaders being from one community.
There are also concerns about discriminatory treatment as Asian employees are reportedly paid promptly while others face delays until the 14th of the following month, despite the company’s financial year ending on the 25th.
Workers say this unequal treatment and the exploitative practices of these agencies are worsening their already challenging circumstances.
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