After blogger Cyprian Nyakundi’s exposé on the grim working conditions at the Airtel Kenya call centre, more employees have come forward to corroborate the claims of exploitation and unfair treatment.
Most say they feel trapped in a culture of fear, where overworked agents are subjected to relentless verbal abuse during daily briefings, leaving them feeling powerless and demoralized.
In the latest submission, an anonymous source details the harsh reality faced by workers under the management of Altruist Communications.
The source reveals a demanding schedule of six workdays per week, with just one off day, during which they handle an average of 180 calls daily.
Despite the exhausting nature of the job, agents are paid a meagre salary, often as low as 16,000 shillings, which barely covers basic expenses.
The frustration is compounded by frequent salary inconsistencies, with pay fluctuating each month, leaving workers in financial uncertainty.
The source further describes the toxic atmosphere at the call centre, where daily briefings are less about updates and more about reprimands, with agents being humiliated in front of their peers.
They also speak of the constant pressure to perform, with little to no recognition for the hard work put in.
Inconsistent pay and mandatory overtime without compensation have become a norm, and the lack of support from management only adds to the growing sense of disillusionment among the agents.
Despite these challenges, agents are left with little choice but to continue working due to the dire financial situation many find themselves in.
Some agents even take on debts just to make it through the month, while others struggle to meet their basic needs.
The source expresses deep frustration with the lack of appreciation for their work, noting that the small gestures of “appreciation”—like receiving biscuits—do little to motivate employees who feel undervalued.
The submission ends with a heartfelt message to Airtel customers, urging them to understand the challenges faced by the agents who serve them and to hold the company accountable for the mistreatment of its workers.
Another employee exposed the company saying, “Good morning. On the Altruist exposé, I can second what was said. Before you start, please find the meaning of the word Altruist, then you’ll see the true irony of the company.
” I attend work for six days, one off day. On the six days that I’m at work, I talk to an average of 180 people per day for 8 hours. Is the job good? Yes. It pays. Do I enjoy it? Well, that stands to be questioned.
“Have you ever had a person who’s more educated than you but older than you talk down to you because you’ve got to work at 2:46 for a shift that starts at 3:00? That’s the norm at Altruist. Most of the agents are more educated than the people holding management positions.
“I was surprised when I learned that this call center serves all of Airtel Kenya’s subscribers. I can attest that as agents, we really do try, dealing with many different issues, but we are being failed. At times, I look at my university student portal and see the fees paid by my folks to come and earn KES 18,000, and I wonder if I’ll ever make it.
“Do you know how it feels to not be able to get your parents something from your salary? With the person supposed to be demanding a better pay for you telling you that you knew the salary was meager when you applied and you still did?
“My shift starts with what should be a briefing on the happenings, but instead, it’s a 30-minute reprimanding session. To be fully paid, you have to be logged in for 8 hours throughout the month. Funny enough, ever since I started working for Altruist, I do not know what a full pay is. This month it’s 18k. Next, it’s 17k.
“Even with full days, you can get 17k and someone who missed some days gets 19k. You get what you get. Life goes on. Your salary gets deposited at the bank. You don’t have a payslip. You try to ask the same bank for a loan, and since you get paid by their bank, they ask for a payslip.
“Nakuambia adulting is not for the weak. Agents are always on their toes, looking for a way out with better pay. It gets bad to the point where management asks agents to call back their friends who had initially left, reason being they’ve got experience and would cover the time needed to retrain new ones.
“I get up every day to get blamed by a random Kenyan who purchased airtime from Safaricom through a paybill number that does not have a functioning customer care number, asking why they haven’t received their airtime.
“I have to answer, take down the case, present it to the necessary team. Now some subscribers call back with their cases closed but airtime not allocated. I am the one on the ground, looking at the recharges, and can confirm that the airtime was not allocated.
“How am I supposed to help when the team that is supposed to ensure that the allocation is done is saying it is done and I can see it’s not?
“It is difficult. Being threatened that because people are quitting, your salary is held to make sure you don’t quit. Most agents are in debt with the main reason for showing up being that the job only helps them stay afloat.
“People have moved from other counties for this so-called opportunity, only to be surprised. The agents who can say they have it all are those who still live at home with their parents or live together because they can cost share.
“As appreciation, we get 3 biscuits and a glass of juice once in a while. I’m not disputing the generosity behind it. But imagine giving a 30-year-old man 3 pieces of biscuits as motivation and then taking videos to brag about it in a WhatsApp group.
“A sachet of Nuvita contains five pieces, for Pete’s sake. The motivation should be something tangible. Something you’d want to work to get again. Honestly speaking, up to date I can’t believe we serve Kenyans with all that we have to go through there.
“But the question that should be asked is, does Airtel know we’re paid as low as 16,000? What is surprising is that on some days, we pick more than 16,000 calls.
“Personally, I’ve made peace with the fact that every last week of the month I have to take a debt of 2k to get me through the last days of the month. But it will all get better someday.
“To Airtel Kenyan Subscribers: We try. You talk to us every day. You wished us Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Most of us missed being with our families, but we talked to you. We heard your celebrations in the backgrounds and somehow made us feel part of it. We love you.
“Once you buy the hourly data package and can’t use it, give us a call and still have difficulties using it after. Please don’t purchase another.
“You’ve bought the same package five times, experiencing the same issue, called the person who can help, and they tried and failed. Why are you still buying? Si you just stop.
“The best means that you can use to buy airtime from another network to your Airtel lines is through Airtel Money. Send that money to your Airtel Money. Don’t use paybill numbers to buy airtime.
“The one you can trust is 220220. Most of those paybill numbers do not allocate airtime, and I have to explain why even their customer service numbers are not functioning.
“Please, if you’ve worked hard for your money, let 220220 take that two-shilling service fee and you get your airtime rather than be promised a free purchase and lose the whole amount.
“When you send money using your Safaricom line to Airtel Money and it does not reflect within an hour, why do you abuse me? Can’t you just, as a normal person, call Safaricom and request for a reversal?
“I cannot explain why the money is not on your Airtel Money because you used a different network. Call that network, reverse. Case done.
“We try to give you the best. We do. But with what we go through, it is hard. Most of us sit through your insults, but please forgive our mothers. Some of them have never even seen part of that 18,000.
“Airtel needs to know we are their eyes and ears on the ground and should treat us better.”
