Tourism Authority probes alleged racism, staff abuse at Taita Hills Resort

The Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) says it is probing the reported mistreatment of staff at Taita Hills Resort and Spa in Taita Taveta County.

This follows allegations of workplace abuse, discrimination, and mistreatment against the resort under the management of General Manager Sanjeev Kumar.

Employees and former staffers claim the workplace has become hostile, with reports of verbal abuse, discrimination and intimidation.

An intern alleges she was abused over her body size, with Kumar making demeaning remarks and attempting to terminate her internship on that basis.

When the Human Resource Manager declined, the intern says she was transferred to the front desk, where she continued to face body shaming and was eventually dismissed prematurely.

“On numerous occasions, he made demeaning comments about my body, particularly referencing my large breasts and stating that they had "no place in the hospitality industry." These comments not only humiliated me but also created a hostile and discouraging work environment,” reads a complaint to TRA seen by Citizen Digital.

“I have also heard similar accounts from others who have worked under him, some of which are even more distressing.”

The authority says another former employee has complained that Kumar “yelled” at staff in front of guests and “nearly threw a notebook at them”.

Additionally, the staff claim off days and leave requests, including maternity and paternity leave, are disregarded and those who raised concerns were met with “verbal abuse and retaliation”.

“Employees were reportedly coached on what to say during board visits and threatened with consequences if they deviated from prepared statements,” the tourism regulator says.

Kumar is also accused of blocking a former employee from securing a job at a neighbouring lodge.

“After making calls and issuing threats, the employee was forced to resign from the new position and return to Taita Hills Resort,” says the authority.

At the same time, the hotel, which bills itself on its website as “Africa’s best-kept secret”, is accused of racial discrimination in hiring and treatment of employees.

“One former worker claims Kumar openly stated that he does not want to work with Black employees and has replaced front office staff with lighter-skinned individuals,” TRA says.

The regulator says it has received witness accounts about Kumar angrily breaking a fruit bowl and berating a pastry chef.

The manager is said to have pressured the CCTV controller to delete the event's footage, “later orchestrating their dismissal.”

Video footage supplied to Citizen Digital appears to show a man of Indian descent confronting a male African staffer before three other staff in what seems to be a kitchen.

The Indian man severally knocks utensils and food off the counter to the floor while at it.

The authority has threatened suspension of the resort’s tourism license if the allegations are not addressed.

The Taita Hills Resort could not be reached for comment.