The Swahili Village, a Kenyan fine-dining restaurant in Washington DC, has been ordered to pay KSh 68.6 million in gross settlement value after being accused of wage theft. The restaurant, owned by Kenyan entrepreneur Kevin Onyona and his business associate Emad Shoeb, was found to have paid workers minimal wages in violation of labor laws. The US Attorney General's Office has mandated that the restaurant settle with the affected workers to restore business operations. The settlement requires Swahili Village DC and Onyona to pay over $260,000 (KSh 33.9 million) to 72 restaurant workers, establish a process to distribute worker restitution, and pay penalties to the District. The gross settlement value of $526,973.28 (KSh 68.6 million) includes a "Worker Share" of $329,358.3 (KSh 42.9 million) and a "District Share" of $197,614.98 (KSh 25.7 million). Some workers, including immigrants from Africa, were underpaid by up to $5,000 (KSh 651,250) [8a9b7d5e].
The ruling by the US Attorney General's Office comes after the DC's attorney found that the Swahili Village restaurant had failed to pay overtime wages, distribute tips, and provide legally required paid sick leave. The settlement aims to rectify these labor law violations and ensure that the affected workers receive the compensation they are owed. The restaurant's owners, Onyona and Shoeb, have been instructed to comply with the settlement terms in order to restore the business's operations [8a9b7d5e].
In response to the theft allegations, Swahili Village founder Kevin Onyona denies any wrongdoing in the wage case it is facing. He states that the decision to settle was voluntary and not an admission of guilt. Onyona explains that the business faced financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not benefit from government aid. Despite the challenges, 30 employees who worked at the restaurant at the time of the dispute remain on staff. President William Ruto visited Swahili Village and praised its success and contribution to promoting Kenyan culture [0b7121cf].