Nairobi — Nakumatt Supermarkets denied accusations by Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli that it oppresses its employees.

Operations director Thiagarajan Ramamurthy said the company paid its workers good salaries and wages and no one had ever complained.

"We provide our employees with lunch, tea and slice of bread in the evening. We have two shifts and it is not true that they remain standing the whole day," he said.

Mr Atwoli told May Day celebrations that the supermarkets chain starved its employees and paid its workers meagre salaries despite making huge profits.

Mr Atwoli said that the owners planned to expand to Rwanda.

Mr Ramamurthy confirmed they were planning to venture into Rwanda but denied that they underpaid workers.

"Our employees are very happy with what they get. The least paid worker here earns Sh16,000. Besides the wages, our employees get other benefits such as bonuses and Christmas gifts," he said.

Mr Ramamurthy said it was unfortunate that Mr Atwoli was condemning home-grown companies instead of encouraging them to expand. "We are still proud to be a Kenyan company and have more plans.

Our customers also have been supportive," he added.

The company has 3,750 employees and plans to increase its stores and employ a further 1,400 to 1,500 people. He said the company had an annual wage bill of Sh1.6 billion.