A Malian national has sued her former employee for illegal termination and is demanding more than Sh44 million stating that the reasons for her dismissal this year had no valid or legal basis.
Ms Aissata Tounkara Epse Sangare was headhunted from Ivory Coast to be the head of operations for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, a non-governmental organisation dealing in sexual and reproductive healthcare in Kenya and Africa, two years ago.
She was, however, fired in May over accusations of gross misconduct after her husband allegedly sent a whistleblowing message raising issues of fraud, abuse of power, bullying among other accusations in the organisations.
Ms Sangare has sued the NGO for wrongful and unfair termination, which she said was done through constructed redundancy and summary dismissal, and also failure to pay her the correct and accurate terminal benefits.
“The claimant states that the respondents were actuated by extreme malice and spite against her in terminating her service by categorising acts of defence against intimidation, harassment and whistleblowing as gross misconduct whose reprisal is summary dismissal,” she said in the petition filed at the Employment and Labour Relations court.
Mr Sangare was recruited to the job in April 2021 as head of operations with a net salary of $8,555. She was also given health insurance cover for herself and her dependents and a pension contribution.
She says she served with loyalty and diligence until January this year when the organisation started a realignment exercise, which was to affect her position.
She is now demanding a total of $304,162, which includes compensation for unfair termination of $102,662, repatriation package of $19,000, payment of unutilised leave days, six months basis pay in lieu of notice and school costs.
