THEJUBAMIRROR
A South Sudanese employee with the Juba-based Kenyan Commercial Bank has resigned after allegedly encountering repeated sexual harassment by her Kenyan Boss.
Bahijah Beatrice, a former Information Technology Manager at the Buluk KCB branch said, she tendered her resignation on 25th, May 2022, a decision the bank’s human resource office was quick to approve.
In her resignation letter seen by Eye Radio, Beatrice said, she had endured several mistreatment over the years in the hands of the Bank’s managing director, Roba.
Beatrice had tried to avoid him by relocating to the bank’s Konyo-Konyo branch as a teller, but her boss kept pestering her.
“I went there to do something, he started with his advances towards me giving me weird compliments and all that, it happened severally to extent that I had to warn him,” she said
“He has been frustrating my life and threatening me and harassing me at every single opportunity he gets.”
‘So it reached a point whereby I could not tolerate it anymore,and I had to bring to the attention of the bank management that was the group.”
Beatrice alleged that the bank through the influence of her daring boss denied her salaries. And since she resigned, they have not paid her arrears.
“They did not pay me. I have not opened a police case yet, but one of the honorable [MP] that we shared the issue with, is handling the case.”
“My husband believed let me first see if all my benefits will all be paid, or in case some are missing out, that’s when we can open a case against Roba.”
However, Mayen Deng, an MP in the National Parliament says some national KCB employees had approached him last year over similar complaints.
Deng says the staff, females mostly complained of sexual harassment, bullying, intimidation and low payment among others.
“Part of the recommendation is that KCB should come out clearly and declare their policy on sexual harassment concerning their workers and some of their clients. Another is that, they should unify the pay scale,” He made recommendations to the Bank’s top management.
Besides, Deng says “They should come down and talk to their staff, whoever has resisted, should be punished.”
According to the law maker, South Sudanese employees bearing the same senior positions are paid far less than their Kenyan counterparts.
“On their salary scales, they should look into some of these allegations.
When contacted, the head of the human resource department at the Kenyan Commercial Bank Ronald Okero declined to comment saying he was in a meeting.
“Ok, I am in a meeting, can I call you shortly.”
The decline to comment followed several calls that went unanswered.
Since 2011, Eye Radio has been reporting disturbing stories against the national staff in different foreign commercial companies and NGOs, but there is hardly any action taken by the government.
However, nearly two weeks ago, Labour James Hoth Mai said on the state-own TV, he learned of foreign firms of mistreating South Sudanese employees, but did not suggest the way-forward.
