KVDA to lay off 300 staff to cut cost

Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) MD David Kimosop (Right) explains a point to Italian investors Maurizio Ruggeri (2nd Right), Guiseppe Volta (2nd Left) and Ricardo Fanelli (Left) at the Moi University Dairy Farm in Uasin Gishu (PHOTO: Kevin)

ELDORET, KENYA: Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) will send home 300 employees in a restructuring plan aimed at improving service delivery and streamlining recurrent expenditure.

KVDA Managing Director David Kimosop while addressing the staff over the impending downsizing said, over the years, the regional agency had continuously experienced financial difficulties due to inadequate funding.

“Due to underfunding of the recurrent vote, payment of salaries and other statutory deductions have been a problem. The number of staff is relatively higher than the projects can support,” said Kimosop.

He said the authority, covering the semi-arid Kerio Valley counties, has 460 employees, down from 600 in 2012.

The MD said in 2014 the authority engaged a Human Resource consultant to review the institution's structures as underfunding had affected employees’ expectations thus demoralising them.

“In implementing the recommendations, the authority developed a proposal on Voluntary Early Retirement to offload the excess staff and hire new skills which are available internally,” Kimosop said.

The Government has released funds to offer VER to 300 employees. Employees who opt for Voluntary Early Retirement will enjoy three months’ salary.