The Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) has issued a formal demand for answers following disturbing allegations of abuse, discrimination, and mistreatment under the leadership of Taita Hills Resort & Spa and Salt Lick Wildlife Resort’s General Manager, Sanjeev Kumar.
Employees and former staff have painted a picture of a tyrannical workplace environment, alleging that Kumar rules through intimidation and fear, fostering a culture of hostility and discrimination.
Multiple employees report experiencing verbal abuse, public humiliation, and racial discrimination at the hands of Kumar.
One intern claims that Kumar targeted her due to her body size, making demeaning remarks and attempting to terminate her internship based on her appearance.
When the Human Resource Manager refused, Kumar reassigned her to the front desk, where she continued to endure body shaming before being prematurely dismissed.
Another former employee described a workplace where Kumar frequently belittled staff in front of guests, allegedly yelling at them and even nearly throwing a notebook at one employee.
Requests for off days, maternity, and paternity leave were reportedly dismissed outright, with those who voiced concerns met with further verbal abuse and retaliation.
Employees say they were forced to adhere to scripted statements during board visits under threat of severe consequences.
Further allegations suggest Kumar actively sabotaged career prospects for former employees.
One ex-employee claimed Kumar intervened to prevent them from securing a job at a neighboring lodge, making calls and issuing threats that ultimately led to their resignation from the new position.
Reports of racial discrimination in hiring and treatment of staff have also surfaced.
A former employee stated that Kumar openly expressed a preference for lighter-skinned individuals and dismissed Black employees without justification.
An incident involving physical aggression has been reported, where Kumar allegedly broke a bowl of fruit in anger and berated a pastry chef so loudly that guests overheard.
CCTV footage reportedly captured the event, but staff claim Kumar pressured the controller to delete it before orchestrating their dismissal.
In response to these allegations, the TRA has issued a letter to the resort’s management, demanding an official response within five days.
The letter cites violations of employment laws and warns that failure to address the concerns could result in the suspension of the resort’s tourism license.
Employees have been assured anonymity in the investigation, with many insisting that unless action is taken, staff morale will continue to deteriorate and workplace mistreatment will persist.
The industry now awaits the resort’s official response, as pressure mounts for accountability and reform.
