Discrimination in The Workplace- Manager Sues & Gets Paid K’sh 22M

By Jane Okoth,

Most employees in Kenya face some form of discrimination in the work place whether racial, tribal or nepotism.

In many circumstances the employees are not fully aware of their rights when they are subjected to unfair dismissal or discrimination thus making it impossible for them to deal effectively with the vice.

Recently an industrial court ordered a prestigious ranch to pay a worker 22 million shillings over sacking which the court ruled it as unlawful based on discrimination.

According to the Sunday nation, Judge James Rika ruled that Olpejeta, a prestigious private wildlife conservancy pay David Wanjau Muhoro ksh 22 million for “practicing nepotism and racial discrimination against black managers.”

Mr. Muhoho had moved to court October 27, 2011 seeking to be compensation for damages amounting to 98.6 million after being fired by the conservancy on December 7, 2009.

The court ruled also that the failure to implement the conservation anti-discrimination policy had led to racism against black employers with their white counterparts earning higher salaries than the black staff.

These offences the conservancy vehemently denies and vowed to appeal against the decision.

In a statement the conservancy said that it “was concerned by the industrial court ruling which it defended and believed it does not reflect the care and professionalism shown to everyone on the conservancy.”

The court also noted examples of a significant salary difference of more than ksh 300,000 between Mr. Muhoro and white managers.

Breege Akinyi, a nutritionist at a community based N.G.O fully agrees with the court’s ruling.

“Most of these firms do discriminate black people and white people are given all the benefits to enjoy. I have seen cases of white employers earning crazy amounts of money compared to black employees while their job description is still the same.”

“I have also been discriminated at work and had to use different cups for tea because they were preserved for my employer’s relatives who were also my supervisors.

My job responsibilities compared to them was a lot but I was paid very little. They would bully me around and sometimes even act as your boss.”Says Benedict Nzuki

David Oguttu seems to fault the court’s decision.

“On the issue of white people earning more than black employees I fully agree with it. We cannot surely compare the kind of lifestyle wazungus(white people) live with our African lives. For them they are used to maintaining a high life abroad so when they come here they want to continue that way. You cannot expect a white person to live in the same tiny house as you. We as Africans know how to survive with the little money we have so I agree they deserve a lot than us.”

Have you ever been unlawfully dismissed or discriminated at work and if so what steps did you take against it?

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