Posta Kenya: Going ... going ... GONE. Deal done.
- Thread starter Young_Turk
- Start date
Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
I don't know about privatization coz Kenya is signatory to the Universal Postal Union Convention on maintaining postal services throughout all a country's territory
I don't know what took Posta so long to collapse? Faced with a technological frontal assault and cut-throat competition from private couriers, the grey-suits who called themselves a Board, consisting of political rejects and brothers of appointing authorities, often made weird decisions. Some highlights -
-They derisively dismissed the coming of email, and the SMS, as a passing fad that would never replace "the culture of letter-writing"
- By the time they were seeing the wisdom of investing in cyber services (powered by expensive satelite communications) there was a private cyber cafe at every street corner so customers did not see the need to walk to the posta.
-Around 2007 their then revolutionary money transfer service, whose name I forget, that enabled a recipient to get their money the following day, was soon brushed aside by the advent of Mpesa.
- Faced with a serious drop in POB rentals, they decided to shore up revenues by increasing box rental charges year on year. Private renters dropped out leaving only corporate and government customers. Eventually even them opted for electronic communications leading to serious drop in stamp sales.
- They priced themselves out of the courier biz. The last time I tried to use EMS they were charging me 408 to deliver a letter to my destination address, Securicor charged 238 for the same service.
The proliferation of matatu couriers also ate into their lunch.
-In response to the matatu courier competition, the board announced that they were also going to invest in matatus. The idea was stillborn.
-My most recent encounter with them was when I went to buy a 40 bob stamp to send a success card only to be told to pay to e-citizen and add 50 bob convenience fee (for Kasongo Yay yay!). I left.
I don't know what took Posta so long to collapse? Faced with a technological frontal assault and cut-throat competition from private couriers, the grey-suits who called themselves a Board, consisting of political rejects and brothers of appointing authorities, often made weird decisions. Some highlights -
-They derisively dismissed the coming of email, and the SMS, as a passing fad that would never replace "the culture of letter-writing"
- By the time they were seeing the wisdom of investing in cyber services (powered by expensive satelite communications) there was a private cyber cafe at every street corner so customers did not see the need to walk to the posta.
-Around 2007 their then revolutionary money transfer service, whose name I forget, that enabled a recipient to get their money the following day, was soon brushed aside by the advent of Mpesa.
- Faced with a serious drop in POB rentals, they decided to shore up revenues by increasing box rental charges year on year. Private renters dropped out leaving only corporate and government customers. Eventually even them opted for electronic communications leading to serious drop in stamp sales.
- They priced themselves out of the courier biz. The last time I tried to use EMS they were charging me 408 to deliver a letter to my destination address, Securicor charged 238 for the same service.
The proliferation of matatu couriers also ate into their lunch.
-In response to the matatu courier competition, the board announced that they were also going to invest in matatus. The idea was stillborn.
-My most recent encounter with them was when I went to buy a 40 bob stamp to send a success card only to be told to pay to e-citizen and add 50 bob convenience fee (for Kasongo Yay yay!). I left.
Young_Turk
Elder Lister
Posta and Telkom are poster child's of planned obsolescence
At least the muhindis who will acquire Posta house can do some biz there
Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
What is that guy Tonui in the video smoking saying Posta is profitable?
This was in January.
Paralysis Looms as Govt Workers Vow Action Over 4-Month Salary Delay
by CHRISTINE OPANDA on Tuesday, 7 January 2025 - 6:18 pm
Kenyans are staring into paralysis in the postal services after Postal Corporation of Kenya employees decried delayed salaries threatening to down tools.
Led by the Secretary General of Kericho Branch, Benson Okwaro, the workers on Tuesday called for immediate intervention by relevant stakeholders, or else, they will take necessary actions.
According to the workers, the delay in salaries is putting their lives on hold as some of them are unable to cater for their needs like rent, school fees, and daily meals.
The workers through the Communication Union of Kenya are urging the stakeholders to prioritise the welfare of the workers who are facing financial challenges due to the delay.
"Our staff are going through a lot because of unpaid salaries. We demand an immediate payment of salaries in posta cooperation of Kenya," the SG read the notice in part.
"We wish to formally address the ongoing issue of delayed salary payment which has significantly impacted our members. We are deeply concerned by the persistent delay in the disbursement of salaries to members which is a clear violation of the basic rights," the notice continued.
According to the workers, timely payment of wages is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental aspect of the trust and respect that should exist between an employer and its workforce.
The workers revealed that attempts to address the issue have been met with threats and intimidation from management, leaving them in financial distress as schools set to reopen and bills quickly accumulating.
"The delay has caused undue hardships, stress, and financial insecurity for many of our members. Our members are unable to pay rent, and school fees as schools reopen and we cannot continue like this," Okwaro informed.
The workers have decried that their last wages were received in August 2024.
Hopes for the salaries to be paid anytime earlier have also been squashed as the resolution lies in the return of senior executives, who are currently on vacation and expected back at work in February.
The delay comes despite the government reforms in January 2024 that had promised that the Postal Corporation of Kenya would be a thing of the past as the agency embarks on a myriad of transformations to become a viable e-commerce and logistics hub, the then ICT CS Eliud Owalo had promised.
This was in January.
Paralysis Looms as Govt Workers Vow Action Over 4-Month Salary Delay
by CHRISTINE OPANDA on Tuesday, 7 January 2025 - 6:18 pm
Kenyans are staring into paralysis in the postal services after Postal Corporation of Kenya employees decried delayed salaries threatening to down tools.
Led by the Secretary General of Kericho Branch, Benson Okwaro, the workers on Tuesday called for immediate intervention by relevant stakeholders, or else, they will take necessary actions.
According to the workers, the delay in salaries is putting their lives on hold as some of them are unable to cater for their needs like rent, school fees, and daily meals.
The workers through the Communication Union of Kenya are urging the stakeholders to prioritise the welfare of the workers who are facing financial challenges due to the delay.
"Our staff are going through a lot because of unpaid salaries. We demand an immediate payment of salaries in posta cooperation of Kenya," the SG read the notice in part.
"We wish to formally address the ongoing issue of delayed salary payment which has significantly impacted our members. We are deeply concerned by the persistent delay in the disbursement of salaries to members which is a clear violation of the basic rights," the notice continued.
According to the workers, timely payment of wages is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental aspect of the trust and respect that should exist between an employer and its workforce.
The workers revealed that attempts to address the issue have been met with threats and intimidation from management, leaving them in financial distress as schools set to reopen and bills quickly accumulating.
"The delay has caused undue hardships, stress, and financial insecurity for many of our members. Our members are unable to pay rent, and school fees as schools reopen and we cannot continue like this," Okwaro informed.
The workers have decried that their last wages were received in August 2024.
Hopes for the salaries to be paid anytime earlier have also been squashed as the resolution lies in the return of senior executives, who are currently on vacation and expected back at work in February.
The delay comes despite the government reforms in January 2024 that had promised that the Postal Corporation of Kenya would be a thing of the past as the agency embarks on a myriad of transformations to become a viable e-commerce and logistics hub, the then ICT CS Eliud Owalo had promised.
upepo
Elder Lister
The services will remain, the premium real estate will be gone. A private investor will come in, sell off the juiciest assets in the name of restructuring, then dispose the remainder to a third-party.
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DeepInYourMind
Elder Lister
When you employ people based tribalism and nepotism instead of competence you get people who cannot adapt to change.
Like that fella in charge of 'development' who said the Internet should be shut down so that we get all our news from TV and Radio
Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
Tragedy of our times.
Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
That was that fool Ruku, right?
DeepInYourMind
Elder Lister
The name escapes me for now
