Workers say 'no' to suitability interviews

Workers who were transferred from defunct local authority to Kakamega county government are threatening to go to court to halt a suitability interview exercise slated to start today.

Led by Kenya County Government Workers Union, Kakamega Branch, secretary general Christine Songa, they questioned why the implementation was targeting only workers who served in local governments.

They claimed the exercise was ill-advised and discriminatory.

“The Transitional Authority directed county governments to conduct an audit of assets and liabilities and as workers, we believe we were audited because we are under human resources staff assets,” said Songa.

She added,”Isn’t this a repeat of biometric registration and evaluation exercise? We should be told what they want to achieve and the motive behind before it can go on.”

The exercise will kick off today up to May 26.

Speaking to ‘The Standard on Saturday’ yesterday, she further cited a previous case where the union went to industrial court seeking interpretation on biometric registration and evaluation of workers.

She said the court ruled that any exercise involving workers must be done in consultation with the union. But Kakamega County Public Service Board Chairperson Rodah Masaviru, explained that the exercise will not be used for retrenchment but for better placement of skills and personnel.

“We carried the same exercise with nurses under the Economic Stimulus Programme and no one was sacked,” she said.

She explained that workers employed by the board were interviewed for various posts hence, no need for a suitability test.