Workers storm Keekorok lodge, eject managers over labour dispute

 Staff at MGM Muthu Hotels–Keekorok Lodge in Maasai Mara have gone on strike, citing poor payment and unfulfilled Collective Bargain Agreement, bringing operations at the facility to a standstill. They demand senior management to leave. [George Sayagie,Standard]

Operations at Keekorok Lodge, one of Kenya’s oldest and most renowned safari lodges in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, have been disrupted following a workers’ strike that saw employees force out senior management over a long-running labour dispute.

More than 90 workers staged the protest on Tuesday night, taking control of the facility and escorting three managers out of the premises to Narok town, over 100 kilometres away.

The standoff continued into Wednesday, drawing attention to deep-seated grievances over employment terms, labour rights, and management practices at the historic lodge.

Staff officials who addressed the media, led by George Botoyo, Patrick Mbusia, and Nancy Nampaso, accused the lodge’s management of subjecting workers to years of unfair labour practices.

Central to their claims is the allegation that employees have worked for nearly four years without formal written contracts.

“The management has consistently refused to issue written employment contracts, in clear violation of the Employment Act, 2007,” said Mbusia.“This has left workers vulnerable to arbitrary dismissal and intimidation.”

He added “For four years, employees have served diligently without any legal protection. This is not just unlawful—it is exploitative and must come to an end.”

Nampaso echoed the concerns, warning that the situation had reached a breaking point.

“Workers have been patient for too long, but their rights continue to be ignored,” she said.“We are demanding dignity, fairness, and compliance with the law. No employee should be subjected to such uncertainty in their place of work.”

Botoyo said tensions escalated after management allegedly signalled plans to close the lodge for up to 18 months under the guise of renovations, with additional reasons reportedly linked to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Workers fear the move is intended to send them home without compensation or job security.

“We cannot accept a situation where employees are dismissed without contracts or allowances,” he said.“That is why we took this action.”

Keekorok Lodge, established in 1962 and officially opened by Kenya’s first president Jomo Kenyatta, is owned by the Narok County Government but has changed management several times over the decades.

It was previously operated under SunAfrica Hotels before being taken over by MGM Muthu Hotels in 2022 as part of a broader acquisition of hospitality properties in Kenya.

The strike comes as a petition filed under a certificate of urgency by 93 employees remains active at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nakuru.

Court documents allege that management has used threats of redundancy and temporary closure to intimidate workers and frustrate union activities.

A notice issued in September 2025 outlining plans for refurbishment and a potential 18-month shutdown has been challenged by employees as “malicious and retaliatory.”

Many of the employees retained from the previous management accuse MGM Muthu Keekorok Management Limited of persistent and systemic violations of labour laws.

They argue that the company has deliberately refused to engage in collective bargaining negotiations aimed at concluding a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Mbusia further stated:

“The refusal to negotiate a Collective Bargaining Agreement is a clear indication of bad faith. Workers cannot continue operating under such conditions without structured terms of service.”

Workers maintain that the proposed closure does not meet the legal threshold for redundancy, which under Kenyan law applies only to fundamental and permanent operational changes, not temporary suspensions of business.

Nampaso added that the alleged threats of redundancy have heightened anxiety among staff.

“Using redundancy as a threat to silence workers and weaken staff welfare activity is unacceptable. We are committed to defending the rights of every employee at this lodge.”

Additional allegations include forced transfers, pressure on senior local staff to resign, and attempts to replace them with foreign managers. Staff representatives claim these actions are part of a broader strategy to weaken the local workforce and suppress union influence.

MGM Muthu Hotels, an international hospitality group with operations across Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, has yet to publicly respond to the allegations.

Set on approximately 80 acres within the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Keekorok Lodge is famed for its prime location along the annual wildebeest migration route and its elevated walkway overlooking a hippo pool.

The lodge has hosted numerous dignitaries over the years, cementing its status as a cornerstone of Kenya’s tourism industry.