Meru County’s casual workers crippled services in a quest to protest what they termed as “bad” work contracts.
They said they were not ready to sign one year contracts as directed by the county government because they had been casuals for over five years. They wanted to be absorbed on permanent and pensionable terms.
“Many of us have been casual workers for years,” said Benson Murithi, who has been a casual for seven years.
“We are afraid they will victimise us and use this chance or renewing contracts to get rid of long serving casuals in favour of others to avoid paying us retirement benefits,” he added.
Meru Town Administrator Eva Murithi said the contract jobs were for the benefit of the casuals because it afforded them benefits like NSSF and NHIF cover, as well as pay hikes.Sub-county casuals are expected to get a 28 per cent pay increase while municipality casuals get a four per cent raise.