Suffering KALRO Staff Write To Agriculture CS Peter Munya

CAPTION: Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya All is not well at the Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organization (KALRO). Over the past few weeks, this blog has extensively highlighted a long list of administrative injustices raised by employees working at the state-funded institute.

Most recently, as many local media outlets ignored the situation, we reported how a section of disgruntled KALRO staff petitioned the Senate over crooked promotions at the organization. In the letter addressed to the Chairperson of the Senate Agricultural Committee hardly a week ago, the workers requested the upper house to urgently find a way to launch an official probe into the allegations and immediately offer guidance on the way forward. Exercising their rights through Article 37 of the constitution, they additionally requested that if possible, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) be brought into the fray. Over a week later, the suffering employees have now taken their fight to the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Fisheries and Cooperatives. In an open letter to Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, they have protested underlying mistreatment and irregular employment practices at the corporation. "Open letter to the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Fisheries and Cooperatives The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Fisheries and Cooperatives Cathedral Road, Nairobi P. O. Box 30028-00100 Kenya E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: +254-20-2718870 Dear Hon. Peter Munya, RE: INJUSTICES ON KALRO STAFF AND IRREGULAR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES This Open letter comes to you from the staff of KALRO. We are deeply concerned by KALRO Management’s planned recruitment of new employees as advertised in the Daily Nation dated 14th April 2022 also available at www.kalro.org The initial February 2022 advert was skewed and was therefore cancelled. In this advert, KALRO seeks to place the new employees in higher grades than its staff who have had superior qualifications for decades and have not been promoted, designated or placed appropriately. This is unacceptable. Sir, KALRO Staff have had very serious issues with promotion, and placements designation among others. The organization is in violation of Section 45 of the Public Service which requires that new employees enter at the entry grades and before recruiting from outside, staff who are serving in those positions and who are qualified should be considered first. The advert places degree holders several grades higher than serving staff with the same qualification and have served for many years without promotion, placement, and designation thus frustrating the government’s interventions for fair treatment. Fatal errors have been made and the staff have continued to stagnate in the same grades since 2014 while a minority has been promoted irregularly and secretly. The majority are losing out on Gross pay and pension. The organization is in violation of rights under Article 23 of the Constitution Act, Section 5 of the Employment Act, Sections 18,9 and 24 of the Constitution of Kenya (Protection of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) Practice and Procedure Rules, 2011 and other enabling provisions of the law such as salaries and remuneration commission. Despite these glairing administrative injustices and many more our concerted efforts geared towards corrective measures such as placements, promotions and designations, have failed. The few promotions carried out were not based on merit and this action amounts to an unlawful, unilateral and subjective decision bordering on abuse of office and violation of the employees' fundamental rights under the Constitution and breach of the management statutory duty owed to the employees particularly Section 45 of the Public Service. The doctrine of comparable worth has not been considered. This has heightened social stress, gross inequality and social exclusion which is in violation of the national integration. Arising from the foregoing this situation has provided fertile ground for the employee to undergo untold suffering, mental anguish and illness resulting from stress. There are many confirmed cases of mental illnesses as a result of this stress caused by inhumane action by KALRO management. Sir, we humbly request you to investigate this matter in order to make appropriate recommendations thereon. Secondly, issue a permanent injunction restraining the KALRO management representatives and/or agents from carrying out the expected interviews and subsequently appointing the new employees to the positions while serving employees with higher qualifications have not been promoted, designated, and placed for decades. Thirdly, we ask you to direct a forensic audit in view of the foregoing issues and finally direct the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC), Director Of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director of public prosecution (DPP) to investigate whether any criminal offences arising from the facts set out in this letter and take appropriate action thereon. Yours sincerely. CONCERNED KALRO EMPLOYEES CC: 1. President Uhuru Kenyatta, Commander in chief of the armed forces President Harambee House, Harambee Avenue, P.O Box 62345 - 00200. Nairobi. Telephone: +254 - 20 - 2227411 EMAIL [email protected] 2. Hon Francis Atwoli Secretary-General, Central Organization of Trade Union Kenya, Solidarity Building, Digo road, Gikomba, P.O Box 13000-00200, Nairobi, Tel: 0202383368/7 Email: info@cotu-kenya. CVS Plaza 1st Floor,Kasuku Lane, Off Lenana Road, P.O. Box: 74359-00200 Nairobi, Kenya Landline: +254-020-3969000 Mobile: 0733 78 00 00 / 0736 78 00 00 Mobile: 0724 256 448 / 0726 610 159 WhatsApp: 0798 849 871 Fax: +254-020-2716160 3. Kenya National Commission of Human Rights [email protected] [email protected] SMS: 22359 Twitter: @hakiKNCHR"