This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the job market, the Union of Kenya Civil Servants has sounded the alarm on its devastating impact on the productivity of civil servants.
According to the union's Secretary General Tom Odege, the high cost of transport has become a significant burden for many government employees, making it difficult for them to afford basic commodities and jeopardizing critical public services.
With an estimated 800,000 jobs lost in the private sector, stakeholders are now issuing alerts on the impact of COVID-19 in the civil service when it comes to output.
Published on July 16, 2020, the union has warned that productivity is only at a quarter of normal operations, with critical government offices mostly offering selected essential services left understaffed due to strict health measures.
Escalating transport charges have now become beyond many civil servants, the union says, adding that all civil servants should be treated as front-line workers due to their frequent interactions with clients and be provided with PPE kits and adequate insurance cover.
The union is pushing for an increase in civil servants' allowances to mitigate against the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
