A duel is brewing between the Kajiado county government and a foreign investor over the latter’s plans to restructure operations to remain afloat.
Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd on Monday announced its plans to cut down on the number of workers by 20 per cent.
However, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said that will not happen.
“Sack my people from Kajiado at your peril,” Lenku said.
Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, the governor told the workers to stay put as he tackles their employer.
Already, all the staff have been served with notices of the intended move.
The 1,100 workers have been served letters giving them one month notice to prepare themselves for any eventuality starting July 12.
The number includes 600 contracted workers and 500 permanent employees.
The company’s managing director and chief executive officer Subodh Srivastav in one of the letters to the staff said: “This letter, therefore, serves as an official one (1) month notice that your position may be declared redundant as per the proposed plan.”
However, Lenku said the company has been a hostile investor and provocative to the people of Kajiado.
“They did not involve the county government in choosing stakeholders,” Lenku said.
“For Tata Chemicals to insinuate it wants to remove our people from employment, is a position I take categorically that it will never happen.”
