By Our Investigations Desk | May 31, 2025
In a disturbing exposé that has rocked Kenya’s most profitable company, Safaricom finds itself under fire after a whistleblower employee revealed a deeply toxic work environment, claiming she was forced to work from a hospital bed — and later punished for it.
Emma Okere, an IT professional at Safaricom, broke her silence on May 29, sharing harrowing details of mistreatment, emotional abuse, and corporate gaslighting at the telco giant. According to Okere, after falling seriously ill in December 2024, she was denied sick leave and pressured to continue working remotely — from her hospital room. Her reward? A performance penalty for allegedly absconding duty.
“I had IV lines in my arm, but still had to log in and meet deadlines,” Okere said. “Then HR turned around and accused me of going MIA.”
But the scandal didn’t stop there.
In a dramatic twist, Okere now claims she is receiving threats from within the company, allegedly for daring to go public. Her chilling confession has emboldened other current and former Safaricom employees to come forward with their own stories of psychological torment and unrelenting pressure.
“I resigned to save my mental health,” a former employee confessed anonymously. “The environment is toxic — and everyone knows it.”
Safaricom, long celebrated for its profitability and innovation, is now grappling with a PR nightmare as calls mount for internal investigations and labor audits. Critics argue that beneath the glossy ads and CSR campaigns lies a ruthless machine that chews up its workers and spits them out.
Labor unions and mental health advocates have demanded urgent intervention from the Ministry of Labour and the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
“This is a textbook case of corporate bullying and exploitation,” said Dr. Alice Nduta, a workplace psychologist. “When a hospital becomes your office, something has gone terribly wrong.”
With death threats, HR vendettas, and emotional breakdowns now part of the narrative, one thing is clear — the Safaricom brand may be bleeding more than just bad press. It’s hemorrhaging trust.
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