Central Bank of Kenya Sacks Atheists President Harrison Mumia over Political Tweets

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has reportedly fired Harrison Mumia, the President of Atheists in Kenya Society.

A dismissal letter shared by Mumia on social media shows that CBK sacked him over alleged gross misconduct, disobedience, and insubordination.

The institution accuses Mumia of publishing politically provocative materials on Twitter, which breaches its statutes and guidelines on the exercise of political neutrality. 

“It is noted that you have of late through your Twitter account @harrisonmumia posted highly provocative statements, which on the face are in violation of not only bank rules, policies and guideline,” reads a letter from CBK.

However, Mumia terms his suspension as malicious and accuses the organization of trying to gag its employees' freedom of expression.

“The freedom of expression overrides every legislation, what you think and how you feel,” he says.

Mumia, who has worked for CBK for 11 years, questions why the organization picked him out while other employees have also been expressing their political views on social media.

“That is not HR practice, the move to sack me based on my personal tweets is unethical," he says, adding that the move is linked to his stand as an atheist.

"Why me when most of my other colleagues have been tweeting. Is it because I am an atheist, Is it religious discrimination? These are the things that the court will have to determine,” he says.

He says he will move to court to seek damages amounting to Sh35 million.