The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) management is under scrutiny over the firing of 36 workers after its board overturned the decision and reinstated 13 of them.
During the fiscal year ending June 2024, KFS dismissed 36 employees over undisclosed reasons, prompting intervention by its board and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry.
Three of the dismissed employees pursued the matter in court.
A fresh audit has now flagged KFS for the unfair dismissal of staff, raising questions about the qualifications of its human resource and legal departments.
“Review of the human resource documents provided for audit revealed 36 cases of staff dismissals. Thirteen members of staff were reinstated after the disciplinary committees of the board and the ministry ruled that the dismissal was unprocedural,” Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu stated.
The audit did not disclose the reasons KFS cited for the dismissals but criticised the HR and legal departments for failing to exercise proper due diligence.
“However, there was no evidence of due diligence by the Service’s human resource and legal departments to determine the legality of some of the dismissals later overturned,” Ms Gathungu said.
The Auditor-General warned of potential penalties against KFS for unfair dismissal, noting that three of the affected employees had already filed court cases.
This comes amid revelations of recklessness in KFS’s handling of some cases, including instances where it paid Sh8.17 million in compensation after failing to appear in court to defend itself.
The KFS is currently battling 179 court cases and spent Sh24 million on legal fees in the year ending June 2024, with the Auditor-General observing that the legal department lacks clear strategies to defend some cases.
