Natembeya seeks PSC guidance on fate of workers on contract

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. [File, Standard]

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya is seeking guidance from the Public Service Commission (PSC) before making a decision on whether to fire or hire more than 500 workers currently on contract.

Natembeya said a number of workers have been on contract for over two decades including some who served in the defunct local government.

The governor, who was responding to claims that the workers had been issued with termination letters, described the employment problem as a persistent challenge that previous county administration struggled to resolve.

He assured that regardless of the advice from PSC, he will ensure that the affected employees are not dismissed unlawfully.

“We have workers who have served for 20 years but still find themselves in casual positions. This is unacceptable. We cannot continue treating people like this. These workers deserve the security of permanent contracts,” Natembeya said.

According to reports by the Trans Nzoia County executive, the County Public Service Board’s (PSB) attempts to resolve the problem resulted in only a small fraction of casual workers being converted to permanent employment.

Natembeya, visibly frustrated by the lack of progress on the matter said it is time for new measures.

“This is not a problem that began today or yesterday. It is something that has persisted for years, and yet we find ourselves with only a few workers being employed on permanent basis. The rest are still languishing in uncertainty,” he said.

The governor didn’t mince his words when addressing the failures of past county leadership, which he claims exacerbated the problem. He claimed that favoritism and nepotism were rampant in the hiring process, with jobs often going to family members of county officials.
“We must confront the issue. It is saddening that previous leadership employed their nuclear and extended families, leaving others out. This is how we found ourselves in this situation today,” he said.

His comments come just a week after casual workers staged a protest, expressing their frustration over alleged termination. The workers marched to the county labor offices before proceeding to the county headquarters to voice their grievances, claiming they had been dismissed without proper procedures and asking for compensation for years of service.

"We have worked for more than 20 years as casuals. We are no longer casuals by the labor laws. Why should we go home empty-handed after all these years of service?" Posed one of the workers during the protest.

The workers’ protest was fueled by allegations that the county government had terminated their contracts. However, Natembeya refuted claims that the workers had been formally dismissed.

“Let me make this very clear no one has been issued with a termination letter. This is nothing but the work of some individuals playing politics with people’s lives,” he said.

He assured the casual workers that their jobs were secure and directed that all 500 affected employees report back to work this week.

The governor said the directive is an interim solution as the county seeks guidance from the PSC and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on how best to formalise their employment status.

He is hopeful that with expert guidance, the county can move forward in regularizing the employment status of its long-serving workers.

“I have already initiated the process of engaging with the Public Service Commission and the Public Accounts Committee. We need their expertise to ensure that everything we do is in line with the law, and more importantly, that it serves the best interests of these workers,” Natembeya said.

The governor's stance has been widely welcomed by the workers, many of whom are hopeful that this marks the end of their long wait for permanent employment.

“We have heard promises before, but this time we are hopeful. We just hope it doesn’t take too long. We’ve been waiting for years,” said one of the workers, who declined to be named.