Atwoli Wants Kenya Power To Absorb Temporary Workers To Permanent Employment

Energy CS Monica Juma, COTU boss Francis Atwoli and KETAWU Sec. Gen. Ernest Nadome in a meeting on March 2, 2022. PHOTO | COTU | TWITTER

 By Muia Joseph For Citizen Digital

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli now wants Kenya Power to promote temporary and contracted workers into full employment terms.

According to Atwoli, such promotions will serve to motivate and boost the performance of the employees in the ailing company.

Speaking during a meeting with Energy Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma on Wednesday, Atwoli highlighted the need to accord the staff with statures of government employs such as 'permanent and pensionable' terms

COTU, in a statement to newsrooms after the meeting, noted: “Atwoli called upon the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that there is a conversion of contracts from casual or temporary contracts to permanent and pensionable terms.”

He argued that since most staffers at Kenya Power work on a casual basis, they lacked vibrancy and passion in their duties.

“The only way to restore the lost glory of Kenya Power is by having their staff motivated through employment on permanent and pensionable terms,” added the statement.

Kenya Electrical Trades and Allied Workers Union (KETAWU) Secretary General Ernest Nadome seconded Atwoli’s remarks, further stressing the issue of shortage of workers and delayed promotions of long-serving employees.

Mr Nadome noted that employees who had been serving the company for over 15 years in the same job group needed to be elevated.

The statement said: “There is a serious shortage of staff at Kenya Power, causing a backlog of connectivity, and it is, therefore, unwise for the management to think about retrenching some of their workers, a claim that the CS said has not been brought to her attention and one that is equally ill-advised.”

On her part, CS Juma underscored the need for initiating a conversation with the workers in a bid to restore the former glory of the company, saying Kenya Power would only complete a successful turnaround if focus is placed on the staffers.

She also emphasized engagement with the union and ultimately reassured them that she would oversee the restoration of a communication chain between all stakeholders to ensure the success of the State agency.

“She assured the union leadership that she is going to ensure that the breakdown in communication between the board, Kenya Power management and the union, which is a matter of great concern to the ministry, is dealt with and proper communication channels restored,” read the statement.