Newly elected Chairperson of the Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU), Makueni Chapter John Kioko addressing the Media after his election on January 17, 2026. 
By Stanley Mumo
The Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU), Makueni Chapter, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the County Government of Makueni to address long-standing grievances affecting county workers, warning of possible industrial action and legal redress if their demands are ignored.
Speaking after the union’s elections held over the weekend, newly elected Chairperson John Kioko said county workers have endured years of unfair labour practices, discrimination and neglect despite clear provisions in Kenya’s employment laws.
Kioko decried arbitrary staff transfers, noting that workers are often moved from one station to another without transfer allowances and given immediate reporting deadlines, sometimes requiring them to report to new stations the very next day. He said this has caused severe financial and personal strain on affected employees.
“We are seeing transfers issued without facilitation, without salary adjustments and with immediate effect. This is inhumane and against fair labour practice,” Kioko said.
He further faulted the county over failure to confirm workers into permanent and pensionable terms, despite some having served as casuals or on contract for over five years. According to him, employment laws require confirmation after six months of service, a provision he said the county has routinely ignored.
“What hurts our workers most is the discrimination. Children of senior county officials are confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms within months, while others who have worked diligently for more than five years remain on contracts,” he said.
The union also raised concerns over unpaid overtime, particularly for drivers who work excessively long hours ferrying senior officers early in the morning and late into the night without compensation.
“You find a driver working 16 to 17 hours a day, far beyond the legal eight-hour workday, with no overtime pay whatsoever. This is exploitation,” Kioko stated.
On promotions, the chairperson noted that some employees employed as early as the year 2000 remain stuck in the same job group decades later, contrary to policy guidelines that allow progression after every three years.
He also criticized the lack of salary reviews for county workers, saying national government civil servants regularly enjoy pay increments while county staff stagnate for years without any appraisal.
Echoing these concerns, newly elected Secretary John Nzioka Sila, a former councillor for Mavindini, vowed to take a firm stand in defending workers’ rights.
Sila singled out the workers’ medical cover as the most urgent issue, revealing that about 3,000 county employees were last year directed to use SHA cards for medical services, only to be turned away by hospitals.
“Workers are being asked to pay cash when they seek treatment because the medical cover does not work. That is unacceptable. A government must protect its workers,” Sila said.
He announced that the union has given the county government 48 hours to resolve the medical cover issue, failure to which all operations will be halted and the matter taken to court.
The secretary added that the union will formally write to the County Secretary, attaching documented evidence on stalled promotions, delayed confirmations, unpaid overtime and unfair transfers to demand immediate corrective action.
The newly elected union officials assumed office pledging to pursue the workers’ demands with urgency and seriousness, insisting that the county government must respect labour laws and restore dignity to its workforce.
