Bereaved Kenyan workers are not given enough time to grieve

Some of the family members who lost their loved ones are overcome with grief during the memorial service for the National Police and Kenya prisons services' fallen heroes at the National Police College, Embakasi A Campus on December 14, 2023. [Phoebe Okall, Standard]

A day after I signed my new work contract last year, I lost my dad. My new employer granted me a 12-day compassionate leave, but the period proved inadequate for me to properly grieve and heal. In the end, I terminated the contract prematurely for the sake of my mental health and to completely heal from the loss. I gave up on a job that I dearly loved.

The loss of a loved one or a close friend can be emotionally devastating and healing from the trauma requires adequate time. In today's world, productivity is valued above everything else and this often leads to other vital aspects of life being overlooked. In the corporate sector, people are expected to soldier on so fast from a loss that they are not given enough time to grieve and deal with the emotional torture associated with death. I urge that compassionate leave be increased and made flexible for people to completely heal after a loss.