KISUMU, Kenya, Jan 29 – A new supermarket in Kisumu has hired 20 former Nakumatt employees that had been rendered jobless after the struggling retailer’s Mega City branch was closed alongside 20 other outlets last year.
Lemigo Supermarket situated in Kondele in the lakeside city has opened its gates to the public with a commitment to creating effective promotional ideas.
The supermarket, the brainchild of seven former employees of Nakumatt, was mooted seven years ago.
Benson Olang’, one of the seven directors says most of them worked at Nakumatt for over 20 years before they quit when signs of a closure of Nakumatt Kisumu became imminent.
“When we left employment, we pulled all that we had and we found the working capital,” he said.
The choice of Kondele – which has been synonymous with political violence – did not deter their resolve to start up.
“This (area) is the only 24-hour economy in Kisumu and the population is very huge. We think this is the best location for the business,” he said.
The supermarket intends to run on a 24-hour shift but will open until 10pm for the first few months.
Olang’ says they have expansion plans in the pipeline and owe their success to their former employer, Nakumatt.
He says the new outlet is ready to absorb more ex-Nakumatt employees as it grows.
“I still believe that Nakumatt had the best staff, in terms of discipline and loyalty. We will strive to find space for our colleagues who may be still jobless after the misfortune that befell Nakumatt,” he said.
