The Public Petitions Committee is set to summon the management of Uchumi Supermarkets Limited over the Company's continued failure to settle outstanding salary arrears, gratuity and terminal dues owed to former employees, despite the passage of several years, court interventions and commitments made under the Company's Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

The Committee Chairperson, Hon. Muchangi Karemba (Runyenjes), gave the assurance during a meeting with a section of the former employees who had appeared before the Committee to present a public petition challenging Uchumi Supermarkets' failure to honour the terms of the CVA and settle the outstanding employment claims.

The petitioners told the Committee that only about two per cent of the total amount owed to former employees has been paid to date, leaving hundreds of former workers and their families in prolonged financial distress.

According to the petitioners, the continued delay in settling the outstanding dues has caused severe economic hardship, including loss of livelihoods, inability to meet family obligations, difficulties in accessing healthcare and education for their dependants, and the accumulation of debt.

"We respectfully seek the intervention of the National Assembly to ensure justice, accountability, and a fair resolution of the long-standing employment claims," said the petitioners' Chairperson, Mr. Philemon Oburenyi.

The former employees further informed the Committee that they had all been employed on permanent and pensionable terms before receiving redundancy letters at different times, depending on the branches where they were stationed. They stated that they were subsequently issued with tabulations indicating what the Company described as their final dues, with an undertaking that the payments would be made in phases.

However, upon scrutinising the tabulated amounts, the petitioners noted significant discrepancies, arguing that the figures were substantially lower than what they had expected based on their years of service and contractual entitlements. They further expressed concern that the documents labelled as "final dues" did not accurately capture all their outstanding claims, raising fears that their next of kin may be unaware of the unpaid balances should any of the former employees pass away before the settlement process is concluded.

The petitioners also questioned the manner in which the payments have been made, noting that while the first batch of payments offered some hope, the second round was approximately five times lower than the initial payment, with no clear explanation from the Company regarding the payment criteria or timelines for clearing the remaining balances.

Members of the Committee expressed concern over the prolonged delay in resolving the matter and underscored the need to establish why the Company had failed to honour its obligations to its former employees despite the existing restructuring framework under the CVA.

Hon. Karemba said the Committee would invite the Directors of Uchumi Supermarkets to appear before it and respond to the concerns raised by the petitioners, including the alleged failure to prioritise settlement of employee dues.

"This is the committee that is tasked with the responsibility of listening to your petitions, and we will be writing to the directors of Uchumi Supermarkets to appear before us, so that they can explain themselves to the issues that you have raised including why they are opening new branches having not settled your dues," said Hon. Karemba.