The Turkana county government has rescinded a decision to send home over 100 casuals deployed to the department of Lands, Town Planning and Urban Areas Development.
During a meeting attended by Govenor Josphat Nanok, County Secretary and senior lands officials, the county resolved to extend the contract for the casuals as the department seeks to engage a company that will be cleaning Lodwar town.
The casuals had been sent packing on Wednesday by the department without notice forcing them to protest the move.
They locked themselves in the department compound denying other officers access to their offices.
County secretary Peter Eripete told reporters that the county government had not yet resolved to send them home and promised to address the issue.
“We have not made the decision to terminate their contracts yet, we shall deal with this issue and come up with a solution,” Eripete said.
In a letter dated November 19, 2018 and signed by the deputy county secretary Robert Loyelei, the county government stated,” this is to notify you that as from December 1, 2018 any request for casuals and payment be submitted by respective chief officers for approval by the authorised office (county public service board) and a provision for a budget to process their wages be indicated.
This should be done from the office of the county secretary.”
Departmental casual payments have continued to be processed from the main payroll.
Casuals who spoke to KNA said they had worked for more than three years without being absorbed by the county government.
According to the law, casuals are only supposed to work for not more than three months.
By Peter Gitonga
