Sichinga humiliated after wetting himself in National Bank of Malawi because staff wouldn’t let him use the toilet
Blantyre-based entrepreneur William Sichinga was left ‘totally humiliated’ when he wet himselff in the middle of a the banking hall of National Bank of Malawi’s (NBM) because staff refused to let him use the toilet.
Sichinga who has four accounts at the bank waiting for about three hours to be served at the National Bank on April 30.
He entered the banking ball at 8.45am but soon after he arrived at the Henderson Street Branch he quickly realised he needed the toilet.
The entrepreneur went to the bank to verify his accounts in compliance with Know Your Customer requirements. But he was held up until about 11 am.
Sichinga said: “I asked the security guard if I could use the toilet and he just said no.”
“It was the most humiliating moment of my life,” Sichinga told Nyasa Times.
NBM’s account relationship manager Chimwemwe Mtima-Jere apologised for the incident and reiterated that the bank’ policy does not allow customers to use its washroom facilities “for security concerns.”
Bankers Association of Malawi executive director Lyness Nkungula said restrooms are not provided in the banking halls for security reasons and that if a person is pressed, he or she has the liberty to ask for a restroom.
This story of Mr Schinga – is sad and educative, some time back I heard the opposition parties critising the bill of borrowing money for boreholes and sanitation in towns, many of us on mass media followed suit to blame the government as gots who want ot steal the money in the name of the sanitation. We can blame the man for wetting himself – for me it was good message he has send to the nation. Based on the recent word of the Vice president at the SDA meeting, he spoke of love that Malawians are lacking love that’s… Read more »
having 4 accounts does not guarantee a customer to use bank toilet. understand the bank policies and obey them! everywhere we go, we follow the rules . bank would not allow the customers at all cost to use their toilets.
That man is sick
This is a very sad moment and indeed humiliating, the worst part comes in when both the bank and the Association trying to justify the malpractice as reason for not providing toilets for the customers. Indeed this has been an outcry for many clients and they wanted to humiliate Mr. Sichinga and others to come. Security issues being discussed here do not make sense at all. From design point of view you can provide clients toilets well isolated from your sensitive areas if security is indeed an issue. I don’t see any difference to allow your customers use your banking… Read more »
Authorities should look into this matter and this man he has to be compasated , its not fair enough we should put up in his shoes and feel how bad it is
We should not blame the bank.!!! blame the customer .first he was waiting balances from his four accounts he opened with the bank for a good four hours. Nature of call does not come like a bullet it has some signs….that was why he went to a security guard for authorisation to use the banks toilet. If the response was negative he could have gone to a Private Toilet if indeed his motive was genuine. there is a private toilet close to MSB head office another one at the flea market. why wetting himself as if toilets are with the… Read more »
I do not think the reporter is turnishing the image of the bank as some commentators think. The reporter is just doing his work keep it up Mr. reporter. to bank owners we know that people are your properties when it comes to serving them you are free to do whatever you like but it is us people who make you continue existing in this country. if you do not respect your customers like you have done with this man should we believe that you do not own us? To us Malawians banks are there to serve us and not… Read more »
He should just have gone out and urinated the bank’s fence wall. Poor thing. At best he should just filled up the water fountain in the banking hall.Kkkk.
Wetting himself is one thing l don’t understand but waiting 3hr is unacceptable
One of the strangest banks, I have been a customer since 1972 with no single acknowledgement by the bank on my loyalty as a customer, not even an x-mas card. Customers are taken for granted.