Dark cloud over Nation Media Group as staff purge bites

A dark cloud hangs over Kimathi street where the axe of vengeance is descending on necks of staff at the imposing Nation Centre every passing day. No word, staff there say, can accurately depict the anxiety wracking them as no one seems to know what the next minute portends.

According to sources within Nation, the country's leading newspaper is sinking under hate and sexual improprieties committed by top brass in the regional media powerhouse. Woe unto you if your wife works at NMG, a group of disgruntled editorial staff say, as she will become common prey for randy vultures.

And now, unable to stomach what they largely view as high handed management tendencies of their bosses, the staff have written an open letter to the new CEO, Linus Gitahi baring their hearts out and undressing the company for every one to see what lies beneath the well-polished façade of Nation Media Group.

Already an unexplained purge has seen the exit of Claire Gatheru, Tony Kago, Wahome Thuku and Wainaina Kiganya of Taifa Leo.

In the electronic department senior editor Makau Niko and Mustaf Iddi who is a sports anchor on NTV were shown the door for yet-to-be understood reasons. Not safe from the axe are the distant outposts where the Nyeri-based bureau chief Muthui Mwai was sacked and replaced by Mugo Njeru while Eldoret bureau chief Maguta Kimemia was hounded out and his position taken over by sports writer Samuel Siringi. Also gone is cartoonist Stano.

What is however making the sackings even more tragic is the inhumane manner in which they are being carried out with the victims merely being handed a letter at the end of the day informing him or her not to report to duty the next day and to instead keep off and wait for a call.

No talk of money is ever mentioned in the letter and workers there fear that it is a dastardly plot to swindle workers their hard-earned terminal benefits.

The Nation is now unlike itself is demonstrated by the fact that the hitherto boastful faces of its staff have been replaced by mournful ones. Workers at the troubled media house who like to have one or two for the road at the end of the day as they wait for traffic jam to ease are now to be seen in pubs drowning their apprehension as they converse in low conspirational tones. With things falling apart at NMG, it is said, departmental heads are now earmarking people they will fire and replace with their own. On the brighter side though, the developments are said to have led to a new-found sense of seriousness as workers who used to report late are now the first to arrive in the morning.