Three individuals have been arrested following an incident at a Kenyan cheese factory, where employees were reportedly coerced into undressing to identify who was menstruating.
According to an official, a manager at Brown's Food Company gathered female workers in an attempt to discover the person responsible for disposing of a used sanitary towel in the wrong bin.
When attempts to elicit a confession failed, the manager allegedly instructed the women to strip.
Brown's Food Company has taken action by suspending the accused manager pending an investigation.
Local authorities in Limuru have reported that three individuals are now facing charges of indecent assault related to the incident, BBC reported.
Senator Gloria Orwoba shared a video on Facebook, stating that she had received a distress call regarding the incident that occurred on Monday night.
A manager "had found a used sanitary towel in one of the bins, and from what I gather, that dustbin was not meant for the disposal of sanitary towels," she said.
Initially, the manager gathered the women to ask who was responsible, and when she did not receive an answer, she "needed to find out who was on their period so that she could punish the person that threw the sanitary towel in that bin," added Senator Orwoba, who campaigns against period shaming.
Senator Gloria Orwoba expressed her efforts to intervene in the matter, highlighting that despite her involvement, the company was unable to resolve the issue with its employees.
Her statement suggests that the company faced challenges in addressing the situation appropriately or providing a satisfactory resolution for the affected employees.
In a statement on its website, Brown's Food Company said it was "saddened" and that the matter "does not reflect the procedures of the company as a whole".
"We are further engaging a women's health expert to help sensitize staff, improve communication, and strengthen our existing policies and procedures," the statement read, adding that they are arranging for an independent investigation to be conducted.
Police told local media that officers "conducted a thorough investigation and recorded statements from the victims before arresting three suspects."
Furthermore, it has been reported that similar incidents have occurred in other companies within the same area. This suggests a broader issue of menstrual-related discrimination or mistreatment in the region.
Police told local media that officers "conducted a thorough investigation and recorded statements from the victims before arresting three suspects."
Campaigners have emphasized that period shaming is a significant problem in Kenya, highlighting the need for awareness and action to address this issue.
In a related incident, Senator Gloria Orwoba faced an unfortunate incident in February where she was ordered to leave parliament due to an apparent blood stain on her trousers.
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