A group of 21 sales professionals — including Zonal Business Managers (ZBMs) and Territory Sales Managers (TSMs)
have been summarily dismissed by Airtel Tanzania following an unannounced visit by senior management last week, including the Group CEO Mr Sunil Taldar and Human Resources representatives. The affected employees, who have requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, are calling upon the media, trade unions, civil society organizations, and the Tanzanian government to urgently intervene and address what they describe as unjust, unethical, and dehumanizing treatment.
The abrupt terminations occurred without any prior warning, due process, or chance for the employees to respond to allegations. No formal investigations were conducted, and no termination letters were issued at the time of dismissal. Employees were simply informed that their services were no longer required, with no regard for labor law provisions or fair employment practices.
“We were dismissed in a manner more suited to a military purge than a professional organization,” said one of the affected staff members. “There was no empathy, no conversation — just orders.”
This incident underscores a deeper, ongoing issue at Airtel Tanzania: chronic underpayment, extreme workloads, and a toxic work environment that has driven high levels of employee attrition. Airtel is widely known to offer the lowest compensation across the telecom industry in both Tanzania and the broader African market, while simultaneously demanding more from its staff than any of its competitors.
In the past year alone, more than 10 qualified staff members have left Airtel Tanzania for better opportunities at rival companies — a clear indicator of deep-rooted systemic issues in its human resource practices.
The 21 dismissed staff call on:
The Tanzanian Government to initiate an independent investigation into Airtel’s labor practices.
Trade unions and labor rights organizations to stand in solidarity with the affected employees and push for fair treatment.
The media to help bring this issue to light and ensure that such incidents are not buried in silence.
Despite their anonymity, the affected staff are united in their commitment to seeing justice served — not just for themselves, but for the many employees still enduring exploitation under Airtel’s leadership. They seek reinstatement, compensation, and a thorough review of Airtel’s treatment of its workers across all levels.
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