Ugandans angry at hotel over job ad seeking only white and Indian managers

Ugandans are up in arms with hospitality company, Serene Suites and Hotel following a job advert in which they limited top managerial jobs for specific racial groups. The Mutundwe based hotel in the job advert indicated that they preferred a white Hotel Manager and an Indian Restaurant Manager.

Other jobs advertised which were not specified for whites and Indians include; waitresses and waiters, kitchen chefs, receptionists, pool attendants, gym instructor, and housekeepers. The rest were outside cleaners, social media manager, car drivers, boda-boda motorcycle rider, saloon attendant, gardener, accountant and human resource manager.

People have since branded the advert as racist and unacceptable, prompting the country’s Equal Opportunities Commission to question the managers of the facility.

“You are hereby ordered to make a written explanation as to why your hotel seeks to recruit for the mentioned positions taking into account the prospective applicant’s race and origin. The written explanation must reach the commission by close of business on Thursday, February 15, 2018,” the Secretary to the Commission Mujuni Lawrence stated in a letter cited by the Daily Monitor.

The Commission further directed the management of the hotel to halt the recruitment process. In a response, the hotel said the job advert was intended to recruit a talent with expert experience and international exposure.

“The management’s intent was never to discriminate or offend the public but rather to recruit a talent with expert experience and international exposure to train and upscale local staff in the current competitive leisure and hospitality market,” they explained.

But Ugandans are not enthused with the explanation. Here is how they reacted on Twitter:

 

A similar incident happened in the country three years ago, when a private citizen Kenneth Kaggwa dragged Shell and Bolton International Ltd, a hospitality and construction firm, to the Constitutional court over a similar job advert that literally barred Ugandans from applying.

In his petition filed on November 7, Kaggwa said the advert that the company ran in a local newspaper was discriminative against Ugandans.

Article 21 of the constitution of Uganda prohibits discrimination based on race, colour or ethnic origin, with section 6 of the Employment Act specifically prohibiting discrimination in employment.