Mediamax Network Limited, the media company associated with former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family, is set to lay off employees across its media operations as the economic environment inKenya continues to squeeze businesses.
The company, based in Nairobi and with operations across digital, radio and TV, has issued a notice to employees of a restructuring that will see an unspecified number of workers lose their jobs.
“Mediamax Network Limited is undertaking a strategic restructuring and reorganisation of its business operations to enhance overall efficiency and effectiveness in response to evolving market dynamics, including digital transformation, innovation, shifting client needs and introduction of punitive regulations by the Government of Kenya affecting the media industry,” Mediamax Network Ltd CEO, Mr Ken Ngaruiya, says in an internal memo dated 14th July 2025. “Unfortunately, these measures may lead to re-alignments and redundancies that may impact employees across various departments.”
Mr Ngaruiya says the restructuring has been driven by challenges in the macro-business environment, rapid digital advancement, innovation, a significant reduction in business volumes as well as a decrease in the clientele base. This has squeezed profit and forced a rethink of media operations in the country.
Mediamax runs the People Daily, formerly print daily newspaper that went fully digital in December. Its other operations include K24 TV and a number of radio stations and digital platforms.
Like Mediamax, most Kenyan media companies are struggling to survive with revenues shrinking amidst fierce competition from digital media upstarts. Nation Media Group and Standard Group, Kenya’s legacy media companies, have lately offloaded employees over slowing business that has led to significant drops in incomes.
At Mediamax, these issues have further been aggravated by factors affecting the media industry in Kenya, he notes, including delays in the settlement of pending bills from both the National and County Governments, the National Government’s decision to single-source one media entity for advertising, and the introduction of unfavourable conditions on betting and gambling advertising by the National Government.
“As part of this process, the company will conduct an evaluation and staff optimization exercise, which may involve re-aligning operations, streamlining staffing levels, and consolidating roles within the organization,” Mr Ngaruiya, the Mediamax CEO, says.
He adds that every measure will be taken to ensure compliance with the requirement of Section 40 of the Employment Act, 2007 and Individual contract of employment. “This notice is effective 15th July 2025 and will remain in place until 15th Aug 2025 during which the company will be aligning skills with available roles that match qualifications,” says the memo.
Employees whose positions/roles will be declared redundant will be paid their terminal dues in accordance with their contracts of employment and guided by Employment Act, 2007, which will include:
- Salary for days worked up to the date of termination
- Salary in in lieu of notice
- Leave Accrued but not taken.
- Severance Pay at the rate of 15 days for each completed year of service.
- Less any Moneys owed to the company
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Very unfortunate, may God save us all. One job lost is one too many.