A former East African Breweries Limited (EABL) manager has triumphed in a landmark employment suit, securing Ksh 10.9 million in compensation from his former employer over wrongful termination.
The ruling, delivered on July 24, 2025, by the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi, found that EABL dismissed him unlawfully and without due process, including the circulation of prejudicial documentation against him.
The judgment, rendered in the case Ng’eno v East African Breweries PLC (Cause E874 of 2023), concluded that the manager was denied procedural fairness. The court took particular issue with EABL’s use of a letter purportedly from Kenyatta University stating the claimant’s studies had been discontinued in 2012.
The prosecution’s HR director admitted ignorance of how the document came into EABL’s possession leading the judge to infer malice and a prejudiced intent.
In crafting the award, the court considered the claimant’s extended service and lack of any contributory misconduct. He was awarded twelve months’ salary (Ksh 10,058,300) as compensation and an additional one month’s salary (Ksh 838,199) as notice pay, totalling Ksh 10,896,787.
The decision underscores that under Kenya’s Employment Act, dismissal must satisfy both substantive fairness where allegations are grounded and evidenced and procedural fairness, which mandates transparent investigations and opportunities to respond. Failure to comply renders termination invalid, regardless of the employee’s rank.
Legal experts have noted that this ruling places renewed emphasis on stringent HR governance, particularly in large corporates. It serves as a stark reminder that even seasoned managers are legally protected and that disciplinary or termination decisions must follow lawful and fair procedures. Non‑compliance may expose employers to significant financial and reputational repercussions.
This case follows in the wake of other high-profile unfair dismissal awards reported in Kenya, including roughly Ksh 55 million awarded to 17 ex‑Safaricom managers and Ksh 8.3 million to an ex‑ABSA senior manager over procedural failures and privacy breaches.
EABL has yet to issue a public response or indicate whether it will appeal the decision. In the meantime, the judgment sends shockwaves across Kenyan corporate corridors, signaling to employers that respecting due process isn’t optional and that failure to do so may prove costly.
Written By Ian Maleve
