Gig workers demand justice for Nigerian moderator found dead in Nairobi
According to the Union, Olubumni had not seen her family since she came to Nairobi in 2022 for work. Despite pleading for a return ticket to Nigeria as per her contract, she was consistently ignored by her employer.
The Kenya Union of Gig Workers (KUGWO) has demanded an investigation into the death of Nigerian TikTok Content Moderator Anzaki Olubumni who was found dead in her apartment outside Nairobi.
In a notice issued on Tuesday from General Secretary Ellam Brian, the Union has asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and her employer - Teleperformance- to do all it takes to get to the bottom of Olubunmi's death.
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"We strongly condemn any attempts by Teleperformance management to silence employees who are speaking out. Reports that workers have been instructed not to discuss the incident publicly further demonstrate a toxic workplace culture that prioritizes corporate interests over worker safety and welfare," read the statement in part.
The Union revealed that her body was discovered after being away from her workplace for the three days, prompting her search to her place.
"This incident exposes serious failings in employer duty of care and highlights long-standing concerns about worker mistreatment, exploitation, and denial of fundamental rights within the content moderation industry," KUGWO added.
According to the Union, Olubumni had not seen her family since she came to Nairobi in 2022 for work. Despite pleading for a return ticket to Nigeria as per her contract, she was consistently ignored by her employer.
KUGWO also highlighted reports of unremitted tax deductions, unfair work permit restrictions, and lack of proper benefits for employees at Teleperformance Kenya with the Union now calling on the government to enforce labour protections and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
"We call upon all gig and platform workers in Kenya to unite in demanding better protections, fair treatment, and accountability from digital labour platforms operating in the country," urged KUGWO.
On their part, Teleperformance Kenya has issued a public statement denying allegations that Ulubunmi was denied leave.
"Any claims that the employee was denied leave are baseless and not true. We have also not prohibited any employees from speaking about the employee's unfortunate passing or their working conditions," stated the telecommunication company.
Teleperformance also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and committed to providing all the support necessary to those affected by the demise. They, however, urged for a restraint in speculation.
"We have been in contact with the employer's family as well as local authorities. While we understand that curiosity and speculation can arise from such unfortunate circumstances, we are unable to provide further details and instead ask interested parties to contact local authorities," they said.
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