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No devotion, no free lunch: Carey Priscilla defends mandatory workplace prayers after employee exposes policy
29th July, 2026 02:12 PM
Celebrity makeup artist and entrepreneur Carey Priscilla has defended her company’s mandatory Friday devotion policy after an employee publicly revealed that staff who skip the prayer session are not entitled to the free lunch provided at the workplace.
The controversy erupted after claims surfaced online that employees are required to attend Friday devotions, with lunch being withheld from those who choose not to participate.
Responding to the allegations, Carey, in a video shared on her official social media accounts on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, confirmed that the policy exists, saying she was surprised to wake up and find that her employees had exposed her over the workplace practice.
“I woke up this morning to find out my employees have exposed me; all because Friday devotion has been made mandatory, and if you do not attend, there is no lunch,” Carey said.
“Kumbe huku nje hampendi maombi, lakini mnapenda chakula?“
Addressing critics, Carey argued that employees are free to skip the devotion but should not expect to receive the complimentary meal offered by the company.
“If you don’t want to attend devotion, don’t claim the FREE lunch. Even the multitude was fed after Jesus was done preaching. The order is… God first. Lunch second,” Carey added.
Why mandatory devotion
She maintained that faith is the foundation of every business she has established, describing the Friday devotion as a non-negotiable part of the company’s culture.
“For me that is non-negotiable because every business that I have founded is a product of faith, and I have to keep it as that, and I have been loud about it; everyone knows before joining the team,” she explained.
The makeup artist further defended the policy by comparing it to workplace cultures adopted by organisations with different religious or social traditions.
According to Carey, many Muslim-owned businesses pause operations to allow time for prayers, while some Hindu-owned businesses begin the day with prayers or by lighting a lamp before opening.
She argued that her company is no different, as its culture includes Friday devotions.
“Workplaces have a culture. Some have parties every Friday. Work for a Muslim-owned organisation, and you’ll often pause to make time for prayer; some even close their shops during prayer times,” Carey stated.
“Many Hindu-owned businesses begin the day with a short prayer or by lighting a lamp before opening. Ours happens to include Friday devotion.”
She insisted that the practice is not about forcing employees to adopt her beliefs but about maintaining the values upon which the business was founded.
“That’s not about forcing beliefs; it’s about being clear on who we are. It’s also communicated before you join, so you already know the culture from the start,” she claimed.
