• The 463 casual labourers have been serving the county government under different positions without official contracts and some without pay.
• Justice Nduma Nderi said that the county government had gone against the workers' constitutional rights.
The jobs of more than 400 casual labourers of Bungoma county are secure after the Labour Court ordered they be paid overdue allowances and absorbed.
The 463 casual labourers have been serving the county government under different positions without official contracts and some without pay.
Justice Nduma Nderi said the county government had gone against the workers' constitutional rights.
The case was filed in Kisumu by officials from the Kenya County Government Workers Union on April 1 last year.
“The petitioners have each worked continuously for the respondent for over five years and are now deemed permanent employees. The respondent should now enlist them on payroll and pay all their outstanding dues in accordance with the provisions of the 2010 Constitution,” Nderi said.
The county was directed to pay the workers their outstanding salaries within two months of the date of the ruling.
Leaders representing the workers under the Bungoma County Government Workers Union welcomed the court's decision.
KCGWU Bungoma assistant secretary Oscar Namusasi urged the County Public Service Board to ensure only the bona fide members benefit.
Namusasi asked Governor Wycliffe Wangamati to direct the CPSB to implement the orders.
"I am grateful to the court for making this judgment and I am very happy because these workers have suffered for a very long time," Namusasi told the Star in Webuye town.
He added, "I'm appealing to the governor to work closely with us and ensure that the aggrieved workers get justice moving forward."
The unionist asked the CPSB to speedily issue employment letters to the workers so that they can be enlisted on the payroll and get paid their outstanding salaries.
Namusasi said the county should consider casual workers in the next financial year's budget adding the list of the casuals should be subjected to public scrutiny.
"We have information that some people have been asking for cash from the casuals to implement the court process, that is wrong and let no one be duped," he warned.
Jane Simiyu, a casual worker from Webuye, said she was happy with the ruling. She said she had worked for the county since 2014 without pay.
(edited by o. owino)