The Cabinet Secretary for labour and social protection Alfred Mutua has broken silence on planned industrial actions that are set to rock several sectors including education.
In a statement, Mutua urged workers unions that are planning to abscond duties to allow time for the new CSs to review and address the issues they have raised.
According to him, the newly reconstituted government is keen on listening and acting on the will of the people
“As the new Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, I wish to express my deep concern regarding the currently announced strikes. The newly reconstituted Government of President @WilliamsRuto is committed to servant leadership, where our primary role is to listen to and act on the will of the people. This is the essence of our democracy, and this is what Kenyans expect.
“The new Cabinet Secretaries are quickly being briefed on various issues, and I have been in discussions with them to engage in dialogue as soon as possible to address the concerns raised by various unions,” Mutua said.
He went on to state that; “I am confident that the unions, which represent the interests of workers, are aware of the current economic, social, and political situation in the country. I believe they are patriotic and forward-thinking and therefore urge them to embrace dialogue.”
The CS further said that he has been in talks with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), KNUT, and KUPPET leadership to amicable resolve the industrial actions.
“I am aware that the Ministry of Education and TSC are actively holding internal consultations on the unions’ concerns, and a way forward is forthcoming,” he said. Similarly, our team in the Ministry is already overseeing negotiations between the Ministry of Education and UASU leadership, and they will update me in a few days.”
He urged unions to take on strikes and absconding of duties as the last option after all other options have failed
“My Ministry, as a neutral mediator, is introducing an early warning system to address potential industrial unrest early on, encouraging open dialogue and genuine commitments from everyone involved,” Mutua said.
