Sacked director sues Zain for breach of contract

A senior Zain employee is suing the mobile phone services provider, demanding more than Sh146 million in compensation for premature termination of his contract.

Mr Todd Michael Dick, who was Zain’s commercial director for Central Africa, says he was employed under contract for five years in 2009 but his contract was ended in February “without convincing reasons.”

At the Industrial Court in Kenya on Wednesday, he will be filing the case under certificate of urgency because, he argues, Zain was in the process of being acquired by India’s mobile firm Bharti Airtel Ltd.

He is also seeking to stop the sale until his case is heard and determined.

In a sworn affidavit, Mr Dick fears that the company, registered as Mobile Telecommunications Company International Holding Bahrain, would not pay him by tomorrow when the two are expected to announce the outcome of their talks which could result in deal to sell.

However, sources close to Zain says the deal has been sealed.

According to lawyer P.L.O. Lumumba, who is handling the case, the termination of the contract violated the International Labour Organisation convention anchored in the laws of Kenya.