Kevin Onyona
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Authorities in Washington, DC are prosecuting Kevin Onyona, a Kenyan restaurant owner in Washington, DC, for allegedly stealing wages from hundreds of employees.
The Attorney-General of Washington, DC, Brian Schwalb, has accused Onyona and his business executive, Emad Shoeb, of violating the city's tipped minimum wage law and other worker protections by stealing wages from their staff. Schwalb says that Swahili Village, Onyona's restaurant on the city's M Street, added a 20% gratuity to all patrons' bills and that the owners kept a large portion of the tips meant for the employees. The lawsuit claims that the employees were offered wages far below the minimum wage guidelines set by DC.
“Onyona and Shoeb stole from their working-class employees, many of whom are African immigrants, even while catering to an elite international clientele,” the lawsuit says.
According to the Attorney General, the owners of the Swahili Village are facing allegations of unethical conduct and exploitation of their workers. The AG reveals that the restaurant owners are accused of taking money intended for employees and paying their workers as little as $5 per hour which is in violation of government wage regulations. The Swahili Village is a famous diner that was once frequented by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta
The AG's lawsuit further claims that the owners failed to pay legally required overtime and sick leave to their employees who were often underpaid and had their tips taken away. The AG's office has launched an investigation following complaints from employees and interviewed over a dozen of them as part of the preparation for the charges.
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The Kenyan-BiG-C Disease- a chroronic corruption virus, first reported in a place called Knya has spread to swahili village in washington DC USA. The main carrier of this dangerous and fatal disease, a Mr. Kevin Onyona will have to be killed, says the Washinton DC Attorney General, in order to save hundreds of thousands of Wasington DC area residents who may be vulnerable to the Kenyan strain of corruption virus. The symptoms of this malady, BiG-C disease, according to KEMRI (Kenya Medical Research Institute) are: irresistable impulse craving for money that belongs to others,violently and cunningly taking other people's money to spend in luxurious life style, and obsessive compulsive disorder of itching to show off things and life style you bought with stolen money.
If truly all this allegations are true, then Mr Onyona is a very cold hearted human being!! Salvage to say the least. How can you treat people who barely make it and furthermore your fellow immigrants who are trying to achieve their dreams this way. Even if the DC authorities didn’t intervene the wrath of the Lord was or still on the way
Kama ni kweli, fahamu kuwa huwezi kuhonga mtu yeyote
@ Mundumugo, he will try.I have buddy who was ticketed for traffic violation... We had amutual friend in the police force in Indiana.This friend called the cop.and wanted the ticket to "go away". -That did not happen. Iam not saying that there is no corruption in USA.It is there,but not on this "childish level".
You may also recall on this forum,a Kenyan lady, I believe it was in Georgia, where she offered a cop a some cash after being pulled over for traffic violation.The cop did not bite...
Iam not sure of what is going on in DC,but
save for paying someone under the table,you cannot get away with under paying someone who is on your payroll without violeting labor laws.Onyona got greedy.He must not have been happy to see waiters getting a killing from tips.I guess his reasoning was," hey It's my business and you are earning alot more than what I think you are worth".This reminds me of the famous Congolese musician Luambo makiadi-Franco.After entertaining Mobutu sese seko kuku ngbendu wa za Banga,he was given two envelopes containing cash. One was supposed be he his,and the other for the rest of the band. Luambo opened the envelope designated for the band members and took a handful of cash and added to his his envelope...You get the drift...The major difference is that labor laws in Congo much like Kenya are pretty much ignored.Not in USA.
The reason I stopped eating at this establishment. They force you to tip even on pick up orders. Food is extremely overpriced and it’s not even worth the price.
Wakenya thy can't keep off their nasty thuggishness
Ni wajibu wa kila MKenya kupambana na ufisadi kila mahali: nchini, pia nje ya Kenya.
If you are greedy you don't qualify to start a biz. I bet the money was going elsewhere mostly his village building skyscrapers and such. He's spoiled Swahili name for many..
The Jaluo octopus tentacles of thievery will be dealt with swiftly by the law enforcement authorities!!! Prison, restitution, fines, business shut down etc etc
You just had to show your hate for a tribe!! Unfortunately the man is not even a Luo!!
Let him face the wrath of US law..to be a lesson while working in diaspora
Interesting enough, Kevin Onyona contributed heavily to Ruto's campaign in the 2022 general elections. Ruto has been known to reward his friends and I have a feeling Onyona has a soft landing awaiting him at Weston Hotel as the Executive Chef.
Onyona sasa ataona mambo.
I was once Swahili Village not long ago. As I was taking snacks, I got discouraged when the manager on shift that time could not speak Swahili. The tea was good though. That a side, how do you knowingly treat employees this bad? Well, let this serve punishment to make others learn. Corruption is worse than covid, AIDS, cancer, etc.
This place gets zero star rating for tarnishing our Kenyan heritage in so many ways. The food tastes gross too. It used to be better before Covid but not any more. Bure kabisa
The AG might be exaggerating on $5 per hour pay.Maybe Onyona thought Washington prosecutor was a Wako or Tobiko and workers reps were Atwoli.
This sort of behavior is nothing new with Kenyans in America, especially in the healthcare industry. Kenyans who own nursing homes exploit their undocumented countrymen/women with reckless abandon with Seattle WA being a prime example.
Kenyans have over taken our Nigerian brothers.
@ Muturi seems like you don't know about Kenyans in Diaspora and what they can do to other Kenyans.
Do not agree to be exploited working under the table for your own people just be like the Mexicans cash only and usually on the same day.There is no honor among thieves he probably was employing undocumented desperate Kenyans from his village then threatening to report them if they do not settle for whatever peanuts he was offering.Karma never forgets or forgives time to pay up not only the workers but Uncle Sam
He is running the business here in US “ the Kenya way “
Onyona should hire a smart lawyer to try plea bargain deal-heavy fine and pay all workers their remaining wages.
US is not Kenya. You don't get away with stuff
This sort of behavior is nothing new with Kenyan business owners in the United States, especially in the nursing home business. I have heard of stories from Seattle that makes me think Kenyans are no different from Arab employers in the Gulf states.
The portions of food I got was highway robbery so not surprised
Most Kenyan restaurants serve little food at a high price. They must change or collapse. Adding America diet will help. Adding Calories heavy carbs would help fill the gap
Let’s not point fingers so quickly- we wait until full investigation is complete and they have a chance to defend themselves. Let’s extend grace to our own- he may have made business mistakes that he himself has already learned a lesson.. but let’s not throw stones..
That true @ Kari,but surely you call tell when your paycheck does not add up...on regular basis.
Nah, thieving from your workers is a big NO that must be punished to the fullest extent of the law! In US, the prosecutors already have firm evidence that can withstand trial beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law! Yah, the thief is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but this Jaluo is guilty as hell on fire 🔥
Maybe there is more to just not paying wages....just saying............
LIke "# Me too"...just saying
His rich West Africans will bail him out *wink***
Was there a few weeks ago and was really disappointed that the one item you'd think should never run out, was out. TUSKER!. Who does that.
He has done well for himself and deserves kudos.. Chinese and Koreans do the same thing but don’t get as much hatred as our kenyan brothers and sisters.. Congrats Mr Onyona, just fix the wage issue and sky is the limit
This one foolish guy is heading to jail! Ruto is not the conman president in America. Mjinga wewe Mwizi!
Mr. Kevin Onyona's generosity of trying to help his fellow Kenyan men and women who came here to USA without working papers HAS landed him into the HANDS of the SHAMELESS, PARASITIC Kenyan ruling ELITES LEACHES and their STAFF RIDERS who love to REAP where they did not sow!!
Kevin Onyona's vision, which is rare for a Kenya man, who unlike those parasites who are now going AFTER him, must have thought cooking Kenyan cuisines was a good business MODEL to earn INDEPENDENCE by preparing food for others!
Now that he has made it, those lazy and jealous PARASITES have brought in their ALLIES from the Kenyan government ruling elites and are HELLBENT on bringing him down using their US government connections, including the US justice system!! THIS IS WHAT THIS CASE IS ALL ABOUT, JEALOUSY and GREED!
This case is good REMINDER and confirmation of how African chiefs sold their brothers and sisters into SLAVERY in the Americas where many of those unlucky captured Africans were thrown overboard the slave ships and DUMPED into the ATLANTIC OCEAN, never to be seen again!
Africa is poor because of these traitorous and PARASITIC Africans colaborating with the descendants of the former slave masters!
If these accusation are true, ALMOST ALL RESTURANTS in USA and elsewhere practice what Mr. Onyona is being accused of and all of them must be investigated! Taking advantage of new immigrants is found everywhere in USA, with some of them being deported if they complain!
The only difference is that the current RAT Kenyan President is heavily involvement in bringing down Mr. Onyona ! "OYIEYO KAYI TO KUDHI"!
These Kenyan parasites must get OFF the back of Mr. Kevin Onyona!!!
Double tragedy to Say the Least. The US is Not a Place to BILK your Employees and Get away With it Like that. The US is not Kenya.