Anger Erupts at KBC as Long-Serving Contract Workers Accuse Mary Daraja of Disrespect and Exclusion

Last Updated on June 18, 2026 by Joao Pedro

Fresh discontent is brewing at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) after a departmental meeting allegedly left dozens of long-serving contract employees feeling humiliated, frustrated and uncertain about their future at the state broadcaster.

The controversy centers on a meeting chaired by Radio Programmes Manager Mary Daraja, where six-month contracted employees working under the Radio Department had hoped to receive encouraging news about their employment status. Instead, according to workers who attended the meeting, the discussion left many questioning whether years of service to the corporation count for anything.

Several employees who spoke on condition of anonymity said they entered the meeting expecting discussions on the possibility of being converted to longer-term contracts. Many of the affected workers have reportedly served KBC continuously for more than five years under rolling six-month contracts and believed the corporation might finally be considering a pathway toward greater job security.

That hope was quickly shattered.

According to employees present during the meeting, Mary Daraja allegedly informed the workers that they were merely “casual labourers” and were therefore not eligible to apply for internal vacancies or seek promotion opportunities within the corporation. The remarks reportedly stunned the room and immediately changed the mood among staff members who had spent years hoping their commitment would eventually be rewarded.

Employees who attended the meeting say the atmosphere became tense as the implications of the remarks began to sink in. What many had expected to be a conversation about career progression and opportunities for growth instead turned into a painful reminder of their uncertain status within the corporation.

For many of the affected workers, the comments struck a deeply personal nerve. These are employees who have spent years producing programmes, supporting broadcasts, handling technical operations and helping keep KBC’s radio stations on air. They have worked weekends, holidays and long shifts while remaining on temporary contracts, believing that their loyalty and performance would eventually earn them a more secure place within the organisation.

Instead, many say they left the meeting feeling as though their years of contribution had been dismissed with a few words.

Several employees described the experience as one of the most demoralizing moments of their careers. Some questioned how workers who have dedicated more than five years to the national broadcaster could still be treated as temporary labour while remaining locked out of opportunities available to permanent employees.

The timing of the remarks has only intensified frustrations.

As the financial year draws to a close, many contract workers had been hoping for clarity regarding their future. Some believed management would finally address long-standing concerns surrounding contract renewals, career development and employment stability.

Instead, employees say the meeting raised more questions than answers.

Many workers are now asking whether there is any realistic pathway toward permanent employment within the corporation. Others wonder whether years of service carry any value if employees can remain on temporary contracts indefinitely without access to internal opportunities for advancement.

The growing dissatisfaction has reignited debate about employment practices within state-owned corporations, where contract workers often serve for years without being absorbed into permanent positions.

Critics argue that while institutions benefit from the labour, experience and dedication of contract employees, many workers remain trapped in cycles of uncertainty with little indication of when their status might change.

At KBC, some employees say they have reached a point of exhaustion.

After spending years helping build audiences, produce content and maintain operations, they believe they deserve more than temporary contracts and limited career prospects. Many feel that their service should count for something.

The latest controversy has also raised questions about morale within the Radio Department.

Workers say motivation inevitably suffers when employees feel excluded from opportunities for growth. Some fear that talented staff may eventually leave in search of organisations that offer clearer career progression and greater recognition of their contributions.

For employees who attended the meeting, the issue goes beyond contracts and employment terms.

It is about respect.

It is about recognition.

It is about whether workers who have dedicated years of their lives to the national broadcaster are viewed as valuable members of the organisation or simply as temporary labour that can be replaced at any time.

As frustration continues to spread among affected employees, pressure is likely to mount on KBC management to clarify the status of long-serving contract workers and explain whether there are plans to provide a more structured pathway toward stable employment.

For now, many of those workers remain in limbo.

After years of commitment, sacrifice and loyalty to Kenya’s national broadcaster, they say they are still waiting for a simple answer about where they truly stand within the institution they have helped build.

KBC had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.