Airtel Malawi in crisis, mass exodus of workers over Indian boss abuse

There is deep managerial crisis at Airtel Malawi which has exposed abuse of Malawian workers by Indian boss leading to mass exodus of employees who cannot take it anymore, Nyasa Times can reveal.

Airtel Malawi Head of Enterprise Racheal Mijiga amongst  the key  staff leaving the company 

So far about 42 employees have left the company in the past four months which include senior executives namely Rachel Mijiga who was Director of Enterprise Business, Paul Kachika and Chifundo Kumpukwe.

Insiders said Malawian managing director Charles Kamoto, despite getting around US$25,000 (Approximately K18 million) per month is not helping matter as he cannot fight for fellow Malawian workers who are mostly verbally abused by Indian bosses.

Airtel Malawi is owned by an Indian businessman.

“There is just blatant abuse of workers here at Airtel Malawi, people are working for 18 hours a day and are expected to be back in the office at 8.30am the following day. On top of that the Indians, especially the Finance director Indradip verbally abuses Malawian workers,” said Nyasa Times source at Airtel Malawi.

The sources said salaries for shop employees were drastically reduced from K180,000 per month to K65,000 after comparing salaries of till operators at Chipiku stores.

“When the other managing director Heiko Schlittke came he made sure these shop workers get decent pay and the lowest paid was around K200,000 because he understood that we are offering a technological service. But the sad thing is that it is our own Malawian Human resources director under the instruction from the Indian Finance Director who went to compare salaries of till operators at Chipiku and drastically reduced the salaries to K65,000, this is not fair,” narrated the source.

“Kamoto and fellow Malawian bosses are not doing anything, they cannot defend fellow Malawian workers because they are getting heft salaries and as long as their issues are ok, they do not care about anyone else,” added the source.

Nyasa Times can also reveal that clerks, without even basic knowledge of computers are being brought from India and accommodated at Riverside Hotel with K300,000 salaries, yet these are some of the jobs that Malawians can ably do.

On the management side of things, some workers are not impressed with the capabilities of Kamoto as he is said to be a passive leader who cannot make any decision on his own.

“He will wait for others to make decisions on his behalf, he can’t make his own decision and he can’t even stand up to the abuses that Malawian workers are going through.”

“This is why there is a mass exodus of employees including senior people, this should tell you something about his managerial skills,” said the source.

Airtel Malawi is also said to be hoodwinking people in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) events.

“They are allocating about K200,000 per CSR event to hoodwink people that they are contributing more. This is just small change, this company makes billions of Malawi kwacha in profits and it is unfair to allocate K200,000 to each CSR event,” said the source.

Airtel management could not immedietlycomment on the allegations.

 

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John Kachapira
John Kachapira
5 years ago

You think this is bad? Check with Illovo. Malawians are in deep shit and South Africans are using the Malawian weapon in the name of Katanduka to terrorise fellow Malawians.

winston msowoya
winston msowoya
5 years ago

Indians are known for their dislike for any black colour and yet they are in Africa in millions milking our potential resources.The problem is that these glasshoppers start by controlling government leaders through bribery and some offer their wives to our government leaders,it is not a joke but,it is what the Mwenes do not only in Malawi,but in many parts of Africa.For instance,in South Africa,ex-President Zuma colluded with an Indian family Gupta and endedup to go with morethan SAR25million while people in Soweto are still dwelling in houses which were built in the 18th century.Our leaders have been completely subdued… Read more »

Shelix Munthali
Shelix Munthali
5 years ago

Wouldn’t call this mass exodus; people just moving on to pursue better things. Yes there may be problems at the company, just like any other workplace, but let’s not sensationalize issues. After all we haven’t had the opportunity to hear management’s side of the story. Not all Indians are bad people.

LEGO
5 years ago

What does the MASS EXODUS mean from your understanding because it seems you know much better than others?

Lilongwe Resident
Lilongwe Resident
5 years ago

The working environment plays a huge role in returning talent.Some of the people mentioned in this article,the likes of Rachel and Chifundo,they are super performers,they know how to deliver the numbers and i dont think their leaving is because the indians perceive us Malawians being lazy,non-innovative or non-performers but its just one individual who decides to mistreat other colleagues .I hear kuti another Employee left last year after the same finance director threw papers in his face.

Panganani
5 years ago

The Ministry of Home Affairs are at fault by just issuing Temporary employment permits. Send back all the Indian clerks and don’t renew the contract of the Director of Finance. Malawi has adequate accountants to do the same job, at lower price but even better.

Kanjedza
Kanjedza
5 years ago

Airtel – ZERO for customer service

Manala
Manala
5 years ago

This is everywhere in Africa and R.Mandava is the one behind this! they think that other people are stupid and they don’t value employees at all! they fire people, everythin is centralized… and the performance is very bad. This is the case in Rwanda and Tanzania. It seems that Barthi Mittai is not followin up what is happenin! Airtel HR manaement in Africa is the worst in the world.

Disappointed Supporter
Disappointed Supporter
5 years ago

I have worked at Airtel before. From my experience, I noticed that because of cultural differences, sometimes Indians bosses might be perceived as ‘harsh’ – therefore in Malawi context: “Racist”. I think we should not rush to use such terms. I have witnessed Indians bosses treat their Indian juniors more ‘harshly’ than Malawians. Also, it is important to note that as a private company, Airtel is target oriented; and this encourages bosses to push for results. Life in the private sector is tough. Its not like government. If you don’t perform, you lose your job and the company loses revenue.… Read more »

Tiyeseni Phiri
Tiyeseni Phiri
5 years ago

The salary disparity frightening! Is this the same Malawi?

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
5 years ago

Spot on. We just need to get our game to the standards of any global organisation. Our work ethics leaves much to be desired. our service culture stinks to say the least.

JOHN
JOHN
5 years ago

JUST SINK THE COMPANY. FINISH! AS FOR ME, I HAVE MOVED ON, I NO LONGER HOLD AN AIRTEL SIMCARD!

Gonapamuhanya The Third Speaks Out
Gonapamuhanya The Third Speaks Out
5 years ago

This problem is not at airtel only many Malawian are suffering in silent in their home country yet we have a president.These people knows our weakness that we don’t talk or react that why the can do whatever they want. This issue is similar to what was reported at FMB last year**** Dzuka Malawi Dzuka

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