Govt cautions Kenya Power over strike

The government has cautioned Kenya Power workers not to push ahead with their imminent strike until a court case over the issue is heard and determined.

Labour minister John Munyes said on Thursday it would amount to disrespecting the law if the employees went ahead to down their tools, especially with a court order in place.

“It would be in the interest of the parties and KP employees affected to keep calm and respect the rule of the law,” he said in a statement.

While Mr Munyes admitted that the matter reached him early this month, he blamed the Kenya Electrical Trade and Workers Union (Ketawu) for calling for a strike just three days after their talks with Kenya Power failed to yield an agreement before his ministry.

“The efforts made (by the Labour Ministry) to reconcile the parties did not bear fruit following which they signed a Certificate of Disagreement on the 18th of October, only for the Union to reiterate its Industrial Action.”

The Union on Saturday issued a seven-day strike notice for KP to restart employment negotiations. But Kenya Power had on Friday obtained a court order stopping the planned countrywide strike.

The order from the Industrial Court restrained the workers from striking.

Industrial Court Judge Paul Kosgei, who issued the order, agreed to hear the matter on November 7.

However, Ketawu Secretary Ernest Nadome said the strike was on and gave the government and the Kenya Power management a notice to accommodate dialogue.

The strike would likely cause chaos to many who depend on electricity as it would mean workers would fix electrical faults should they occur. However, on Wednesday Kenya Power through a paid-up advertisement reassured the public that the supply of power would not be disrupted.

But Mr Munyes said Kenya Power was an essential service provider to the country’s economy and urged the workers to obey "the established machinery for dispute resolution".