Senator Wafula Wakoli is seeking information from the Senate Standing Committee on Labor and Social Welfare regarding allegations of unfair treatment in employment and payment of casual workers by the Bungoma County Government. Senator Wakoli alleges discrimination and disregard for rights issues, prompting him to push for appropriate responses.
In his request, the Senator asks the Labor and Social Welfare Committee to explain the situation of casual workers employed by the Bungoma County Government from 2013 to 2024, urging the Committee to present a comprehensive report to the Senate on the departments where these casual workers have been serving, specifying the wage levels they have been paid, and identifying any arrears.
The Committee is required to clarify the recent strategies, terms, and requirements used in recruitment and the inclusion of some casual workers in permanent employment, reiterating the criteria used to retain some workers while others were dismissed despite serving for extended periods.
Additionally, the Senator demands transparency on whether necessary procedures were followed in transitioning some casual workers to permanent employment, providing evidence of when interviews were conducted and disclosing the names of employees selected for various positions.
Furthermore, the Committee, led by Senator Julius Murgor, will need to present evidence of payments made by the Bungoma County Government from the financial year 2022/2023 to date, outlining any strategies put in place to ensure timely payment of wages to all casual workers, including any salary arrears.
Elsewhere, Senator Wakoli questions the procurement of a medical insurance tender for Bungoma County Government employees by a single company, expressing doubts about the process used.
The Senator wants clarification on how the insurance company, Britam, was awarded the tender for providing medical insurance to Bungoma County Government employees for the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The Senate Health Committee is tasked with submitting a report on the procedure used to award the tender to Britam insurance , revealing whether employees were involved in public participation forums to provide input before the decision was made.
Moreover, the Senate should be informed if this process was competitive, with the report listing other insurance service providers who expressed interest and reasons for their unsuccessful bids.
Additionally, Senator Wakoli demands that the Senate be furnished with documents regarding the medical insurance and agreements between Britam and the Bungoma County Government, detailing the amount of money, the number of employees, and the beneficiaries of the insurance, and whether Britam has honored the agreements.
Senator Jackson Mandago’s committee will be required to disclose the number of employees who benefited from the medical insurance scheme for the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, revealing the amount paid to Britam each year for insurance services.
