An employee of the Postal Corporation of Kenya (Posta Kenya) tragically took his own life earlier this month after enduring weeks of financial and psychological struggles stemming from a withheld salary.
Festus Kipkoech Bore, aged 32, had been working at the Namanga branch of Posta Kenya at the time of his death.
According to his family, friends and colleagues, the financial strain resulting from the unexplained suspension of his salary severely impacted his mental health, culminating in his decision to take his own life on the morning of January 16, 2025.
His family revealed that his challenges began last year when his salary was abruptly stopped for reasons that remain unclear.
Efforts by community elders, workmates, and his church to provide support were ultimately unable to prevent the tragedy.
This comes as our ongoing coverage of issues at Posta Kenya continues to unearth a multitude of challenges affecting employees and the institution itself.
This comes as our ongoing coverage of issues at Posta Kenya continues to unearth a multitude of challenges affecting employees and the institution itself.
Over the years, we have reported on various concerning developments from salary arrears to management disputes and even scandals involving staff credentials.
One of the most pressing issues has been the delayed payment of salaries.
Workers at Posta have not received their wages for several months with some going without pay since August 2024.
Our sources indicate that management’s response to the issue has been largely unhelpful often resorting to intimidation rather than offering solutions.
The hope for resolution seems tied to the return of senior executives who we are informed are currently on vacation until February.
In addition to financial struggles, there have been reports of a go-slow strike among Posta staff particularly those working at key hubs like the Logistics Hub City Square and GPO.
The workers who are clearly fed up with the management’s inaction have resorted to deliberately delaying operations such as parcel deliveries and sorting.
Another scandal that has captured attention is the revelation of fake certificates among nearly 300 Posta employees.
These employees many of whom are reportedly connected to high-ranking officials were found to have falsified their qualifications.
Despite some terminations following the expose key figures like the HR continue to shield others involved in the scam creating further unrest within the organization.
Compounding these issues Posta Kenya has faced difficulties in managing its operations effectively with regional restructuring causing discontent among employees.
Decisions like the creation of a new mega-region with its headquarters in Nyeri despite the availability of a larger rent-free facility in Meru have raised eyebrows.
Staff members in affected regions such as Kisumu and Kakamega have voiced their displeasure over the merging of their regions further adding to the instability.
It remains to be seen how Posta Kenya will address these mounting challenges within its workforce as calls grow for solutions that prioritize employee welfare and stability.
But insiders say it is highly unlikely meaningful steps will be taken anytime soon.