The Senate Labour and Social Welfare committee has rejected a proposal from Solicitor General Shadrack Mose to form an inter-ministerial committee to resolve the prolonged compensation dispute involving former employees of the Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC).
The proposal made by Mose to the committee, had sought to involve the ministries of Agriculture, Cooperatives and the National Treasury to audit and validate claims made by the former KCC workers, many of whom were dismissed close to two decades ago.
“The committee should be tasked to collate, audit, verify, authenticate, and validate the claims and recommend whether or not the same should be settled, and to what extent, within reasonable timelines,” Mose said.
However, the recommendation was met with firm opposition from committee members, who argued that such an approach would introduce unnecessary bureaucratic delays.
Nominated senator Gloria Orwoba, in rejecting the proposal, insisted that the Senate was well-equipped to handle the issue.
“Why should we constitute another committee? We have resolved pressing national matters within this very committee, including the concerns of tea farmers, and produced substantive reports,” Orwoba said.
The Senator also highlighted the significant financial resources allocated to the new KCC in recent months, citing the investment of Sh700 million by the government towards the modernisation of the company and a subsequent Sh1 billion to ensure prompt payments to farmers.
“Considering the resources already dedicated to New KCC, and the approximately Sh200 million sought by the petitioners, why can’t we prioritise settling these dues?” Orwoba said.
Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo on the other hand drew parallels to previous Senate-led resolutions in labour disputes, notably the successful mediation between Kenya Railways and its pensioners under the Kenya Railways Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme.
“When this issue first began in 1997, these petitioners were young. Today, many are advanced in age. If we apply the same approach we used for Kenya Railways, we can achieve a swift resolution,” Madzayo said.
The committee vice-chairman George Mbugua, expressed frustration over the extended delays, stressing the urgency of the matter.
“Some of the petitioners have already passed on while waiting for justice. We cannot allow this to drag on any further,” Mbugua said, calling for a clear timeline to bring the matter to a close.
Committee Chairperson Julius Murgor said the team will convene a Senate-led meeting with all relevant stakeholders in October 2024, in a renewed effort to resolve the longstanding dispute.
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