Companies

New KCC lays off 280 workers at Nyahururu plant

State-owned dairy processor New KCC has laid off 280 casual workers at its factory in Nyahururu to pave the way for the upgrade of the facility.

The plant manager Simon Wanjangi, in a letter dated February 29, said contracts were terminated “as there was no much production going on at the factory”.

“This is to inform you that due to temporary stoppage of production operations in the factory to give room for factory modernisation, the management has decided to terminate your services with immediate effect,” reads the letter to the workers.

However, some of the affected workers said they read malice in the sackings.

“Some of us have worked for as many as ten years in the factory and the management does not want to employ us on permanent basis as required by law,” claimed James Mwangi.

Mr Mwangi said farmers in the region were delivering milk at the factory, an indication that processing was ongoing.

“If there is no production going on at the factory, then why are farmers still supplying their milk to the factory?” he posed.

The move to lay off the casual workers comes ahead of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s expected tour of the plant.

The President in January had directed that Sh575 million be disbursed for the modernisation of both the Nyahururu and Nyeri New KCC plants to improve processing capacity.

The Nyahururu factory serves dairy farmers in Nyandarua, Laikipia and parts of Baringo county.