Kahindi v Pioneer Vision Group Africa Ltd (Appeal E177 of 2023) [2025] KEELRC 1965 (KLR)
The bottom line
#Kenya's Employment Court confirmed that employees claiming unfair termination must prove it with evidence—without a termination letter, the claim fails.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Questions the Court framed
#The issues the Court set itself to decide, in its own words.
- 1.Whether the respondent terminated the appellant's service or the appellant deserted duty
- 2.Whether the trial court's judgment that the appellant was not terminated was sound in law
Key legal issues
#Whether the appellant's service was terminated or he deserted duty
The trial court's finding that the appellant was not terminated was sound; the appellant produced no termination letter while the respondent produced a compulsory leave letter dated the same date
The respondent produced a suspension/compulsory leave letter dated 19th January 2022 requiring resumption on 26th January 2022, and text messages to the appellant's mobile number, which the appellant did not deny receiving on that number. The appellant, who alleged termination on 19th January 2022, produced no termination letter. The trial court, having heard and observed the parties' demeanour, found the respondent had discharged its burden while the appellant had not. On review, this Court was persuaded the judgment was sound in law and declined to disturb it.
The appellate standard of review on evidence
As a first appellate court, the Court must reconsider the evidence and draw its own conclusions subject to the absence of advantage of seeing witnesses
Relying on Gitobu Imanyara & 2 Others v Attorney General, the Court restated that an appeal from a trial court is by way of retrial: the appellate court must reconsider and evaluate the evidence itself and draw its own conclusions, always bearing in mind that it neither saw nor heard the witnesses and should make due allowance for that disadvantage.
Legal principles established
#- Under section 47(5) of the Employment Act, the burden of proving unfair termination is on the employee and the burden of proving reasons for termination is on the employer, and these burdens are mutually exclusive
- A first appellate court must reconsider and evaluate the evidence and draw its own conclusions, while making due allowance for not having seen or heard the witnesses
Court orders
#- 1.The appeal is dismissed with no order as to costs
The bench
#One judgment of the whole court — no separate or dissenting opinions.
Wrote the judgment
- On appeal from
- Chief Magistrate's Court at Nairobi
- CMEL NO. E773 of 2022
- Jurisdiction invoked
- First appellate jurisdiction of the Employment and Labour Relations Court over appeals from the magistrates' court in employment matters
Relief refused
#Setting aside of the trial court's judgment and decree
The Court found the trial judgment sound in law
Terminal dues and compensation of Kshs. 1,048,690
The appellant failed to prove unfair termination; the burden under section 47(5) was not discharged
Costs
Dismissed with no order as to costs
Quotable passages
#Verbatim from the judgment, each located to the page it appears on in the official PDF — so these can be cited and checked directly.
In conclusion, the Appeal is found without merit and is hereby dismissed with no order as to costs.
It is so ordered.
The Court has carefully reviewed the evidence vis-à-vis the judgment of the trial court and is persuaded that it is sound in law. The Court will therefore not disturb the same.
Issues in the judgment
#The judgment inconsistently dates the events as January 2022 while the memorandum of appeal grounds refer to a letter dated 19th January 2023 and messages of 26th and 27th January 2023
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Kahindi v Pioneer Vision Group Africa Ltd (Appeal E177 of 2023) [2025] KEELRC 1965 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). Judgment dated 27th June 2025; Appeal from Chief Magistrate's Court at Nairobi, CMEL NO. E773 of 2022. Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelrc/2025/1965/eng@2025-06-27
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.