Employees at Diamonds Malindi Hotel, an Italian-owned establishment under the Planhotel Hospitality Group, have raised concerns over alleged mistreatment at their workplace.
Workers claim they have not received their January salaries and are struggling to meet basic needs, with some locked out of their homes due to unpaid rent.
According to staff members, the hotel’s management practises favouritism, engages in contractual bullying and maintains a salary structure that heavily favours expatriate employees over local workers.
They allege that white managers and trainees receive significantly higher pay compared to Kenyan managers, further demoralising the workforce.
The high staff turnover is reportedly driven by frustration over poor working conditions and delayed payments.
Additionally, sources say that managers do not receive service charge earnings, while junior staff get theirs so late that they are forced to survive on handouts.
Despite these grievances, many employees fear speaking out due to the risk of losing their jobs.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s owner is said to be in the country, staying at the group’s Diamonds Leisure Beach branch in Diani, while employees in Malindi struggle to get their wages.
According to sources who briefed blogger Cyprian Nyakundi, said, “Please expose Diamonds Malindi Hotel, an Italian-owned hotel in Malindi under the Planhotel Hospitality Group, owned by the late Franco Rosso family, located on Casuarina Road.
“They mistreat their employees with delayed salaries, favouritism, owner interference, salary discrepancies, high staff turnover, contractual bullying, etc.
“Currently, we have not been paid the January salaries to date. They employ white management employees and trainees who are exorbitantly paid in contrast to the local managers.
” Employees are so tired and demotivated, but afraid of being terminated should they complain. Managers do not receive service charges, and junior staff get it so late that they have to survive on handouts while locked out of their houses due to pending rent.
“It’s rotten to the core, but secrets are being kept hidden due to fear. Expose them so Kenyans know the truth of what happens in these foreign-owned hotels in Malindi. It is ugly. The owner is even in the country enjoying herself in her Diani branch of Diamonds Leisure Beach, and her employees are suffering in Malindi. Huo ni ungwana kweli?”
