KUDHEIHA
A senior official in the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospital Workers (KUDHEIHA) has reportedly been summoned to appear before the union’s National Executive Board after publicly alleging harassment, threats, and abuse of power within the organization.
Dorcas Mbeke Musyoka, a long-time workers’ rights advocate, took to social media on February 20, 2025, claiming she had been subjected to threats and discrimination for speaking out against alleged misconduct by senior officials.
“I have been pushing and advocating for workers’ rights for the last ten years, including on issues of sexual harassment, discrimination, and equity. In the last year, I have become a victim of the same. I have tried to stand up for myself, but I feel drained of fighting this alone,” she wrote in a widely circulated Facebook post.
She further alleged that her boss, whom she accused of making sexual advances towards her, had not only retaliated against her refusal but had also threatened her by stating that he had powerful connections and that “justice can be bought.”
“If I am kidnapped, abducted, or you find me dead, my secretary-general of KUDHEIHA and the union’s accountant Nelson Ndung’u are responsible,” she wrote in the post, tagging several labor rights organizations and public figures.
Following her exposé, she reportedly received a formal letter, dated February 23, 2025, purportedly from KUDHEIHA’s National Executive Board, summoning her to a disciplinary hearing over her social media statements.
“You are hereby notified and invited to appear and present yourself before the National Executive Board in a meeting to be held at Marble Arch Hotel on Tuesday, 25th February 2025 at 11:00 am. You will be required to shed, defend, and explain your conduct on social media platforms, specifically your Facebook post on Thursday, 20th February 2025, which contravened your employment terms and conditions of service together with the code of ethics and conduct,” the letter, which bears the signature of Secretary-General Albert Njeru Obed, states in part.
Labor rights activists have begun rallying behind Musyoka, arguing that the allegations she raised warrant a thorough and impartial investigation rather than disciplinary action against her.
They are questioning why the union’s leadership has taken a defensive stance instead of addressing the substance of her claims, which include accusations of abuse of power, harassment, and threats.
Stakeholders within the labor movement and human rights circles have pointed out that Musyoka’s grievance reflects systemic issues within trade unions, where whistleblowers often face retaliation instead of protection.
They argue that a disciplinary summons over social media posts risks being perceived as an attempt to silence a critic rather than engage with the concerns she raised.