NCBA Bank, owned by the Kenyatta family, has found itself on the radar again due to allegations of unfair pay practices and poor working conditions. The concerns have been widely shared by Cyprian Is Nyakundi, a prominent Kenyan commentator, through his X handle, where he exposed the issues plaguing the bank’s employees.
According to reports from staff, morale has hit an all-time low, and many are frustrated by what they see as an exploitation of workers, particularly when it comes to pay disparity and lack of support.
A major issue that has caused unrest is the significant gap in entry-level salaries between employees hired before and after August 2023. Those who joined NCBA Bank before this period were brought in with a starting gross salary of KES 80,000.
However, since August 2023, new hires have only been offered a gross salary of KES 50,000, which, after deductions, leaves them with a net salary of around KES 39,000. What makes this disparity even more troubling is that both groups are given the same job description and workload, which many employees find unfair and discriminatory.
The workloads assigned to staff are also a major cause for concern. Employees are expected to take on an overwhelming number of responsibilities. Tasks include handling cash transactions, opening accounts, processing cheques, managing email instructions, and executing payments such as RTGS and SWIFT. On top of that, they are required to file documents, all while managing up to 150 instructions daily.
Employees often work from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., with no overtime pay or compensation for extra hours worked. Additionally, there are no lunch breaks, and staff are not provided with transport or meal allowances.
These working conditions have led to increasing frustration among employees, who feel overworked and underappreciated.On top of the heavy workloads, there are also strict dress code requirements that vary throughout the week, adding an additional financial burden on employees.
In comparison to other financial institutions where tasks are divided among departments, NCBA’s employees are required to handle a wide range of duties, contributing to their dissatisfaction. It’s a situation that feels more like exploitation than employment.
In March 2024, a formal complaint was raised by staff regarding the pay disparities and overall working conditions. The matter was escalated to the Human Resources department, but the response was not what the employees had hoped for.
NCBA management refused to revise the entry-level salary back to KES 80,000, effectively creating a sharp pay divide between employees who are doing the same job. This decision has left many workers feeling demoralized and undervalued, as they continue to work under the same pressures with fewer resources.
Employees who spoke out against these issues have reportedly faced victimization, further fostering a climate of fear and silence within the bank. Rather than addressing the concerns of its workforce, the bank has opted to ignore them, which is only fueling the frustration among staff members.
Despite the serious nature of these complaints, NCBA management has yet to take any significant steps to address the concerns raised by their employees.
As the issues continue to persist, it raises questions about the bank’s priorities and its commitment to fair treatment of its staff. The situation at NCBA Bank is not just about pay, but about the bigger question of how corporations treat their employees, and whether they value the hard work that goes into keeping the business running smoothly.
