Bungoma: 463 casuals set for permanent employment

By Peter Ochieng

Genuine casuals who worked for the county government of Bungoma are set to be employed on a permanent basis.

Bungoma governor Ken Lusaka says the 463 casuals will be employed permanently, after the court ruled in their favour, following a protracted court battle.

In her ruling, employment and labour relations court judge Jemima Kelly quashed two lists of 660 and 708 purported casuals.

She directed that only 463 genuine casuals be vetted afresh and approved, to serve on permanent basis.

Majority of those in the 660 and 708 lists were irregularly employed ahead of the August, 2022 general polls, as a reward by the previous regime.

Elsewhere, the governor has urged Nzoia Sugar management to make maximum use of the factory's large nucleus of land.

Lusaka said the factory has one of the largest nucleus in the country, adding that if well utilized, will steer it to self-sustainability.

"This is the only sugar miller with such a big land in the entire country and it is unfortunate that it has never been put to maximum use."

According to Nzoia Sugar Acting Managing Director Ezron Kotut, the factory's nucleus occupies 2, 000 hectares of land, while 1, 600 hectares lie fallow.

Area leaders led by the county boss have already negotiated for partneship with Agriculture Development Cooperation (ADC) and the National Youth Service (NYS), to help in tilling of the land for sugarcane plantation.

Currently, the company is not operational due to cane shortage.