Two committees have been directed by the Nairobi County Assembly to dig deeper to probe the status of employment and remuneration of black people at Chandarana Foodplus Supermarket.
Justice, Legal Affairs and Trade committees have been tasked to establish the current inter-racial employment ratio in the retail shop and provide a fully detailed report of their salaries.
This comes following an email sent out about a month ago by one Ms Rima Patel, to the supermarket managers on the supermarkets new promotion policy then where he said that the food chain was now focusing on white people in their promotions.
The email saw a section of online users react to the issue leading to closure of the business by the governor of Nairobi Mike Sonko.
The food chain’s director Dipan Thakkar said then that they had started disciplinary action against the staff, who authored the discriminatory promotion, as one of the steps aimed at addressing the matter conclusively.
Chandarana stirred a storm following a leaked internal email indicating the supermarket chain will be focusing its marketing efforts to benefit white clients.
Later the supermarket chain acknowledged the email communication and apologised for it, terming it an unfortunate by a new and overzealous employee. But the city MCAs want more than the revocation of their licenses as directed by Governor Mike Sonko.
According to Karen MCA David Mberia, “We want to know when the alleged discriminations against locals started, and whether the orders by Sonko were effected.”
Mberia who prompted the Assembly to take action on Chandarana also requested the two committees to scrutinise other businesses suspected of racial profiling and recommend actions to be taken by City Hall.
Makongeni ward rep Peter Imwatok described the issue as emotive, saying: “It is also not an issue before a court of law or headed that way. We need to dig deeper into this matter.
Deputy Speaker John Kamangu directed the two committees to table their findings by the beginning of September.