Wahome Thuku, a former journalist turned lawyer has announced plans to offer free legal services to the over 150 employees whom MediaMax fired on Wednesday.
The company sacked employees including common and popular journalists seen on TV. Among the casualties include Franklin Wambugu (K24 Managing Editor for Kiswahili and News Anchor), Ali Mtenzi (Deputy Managing Editor), Tony Timase (Business Editor), Torome Tirike (Sports Editor) and Mwanaisha Chidzuga (News Anchor).
Wahome said he reached out to the affected employees because he suffered a similar fate in 2007 while working for the Nation Media Group as a scribe.
“In February 2007 Nation Media Group fired me in the most humiliating manner. One later afternoon, you are called to a high office, where you meet top managers and they deliver the news to you.
“The most interesting thing. Apart from very very close relatives and friends, no one got to know about it. Because in just a few months down the road, May 2008, Standard employed me at twice the salary given by Nation. That is how God comes without delegating,” he divulged.
“At that time I was still not very legally sensitized. Had they sacked me today, I would have sued them to the penny. There was no one to even advise me on that”
The lawyer, therefore, offered to provide free legal representation to any willing Mediamax employees who has since been retrenched.
“I don’t want Mediamax employees to go through that. So I will support you free of charge. As soon as you get those dismissal letters, bring them to me.
“I will get several other lawyers and we go through them to details. And if necessary we will Institute the legal proceedings against the company at zero charges. That is the only way to support a brother/sister,” he promised.