The government has announced changes aimed at reforming the country's labour system, with a focus on easing pressure on employers while ensuring fairness for workers.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua declared on Wednesday, May 28, that all labour inspections nationwide had been halted by the government.
Speaking at the Federation of Kenya Employers' (FKE) 66th Annual General Meeting, Mutua clarified that the action was a stopgap measure to give time for important reforms on the way reforms are carried out.
In the past, national and county governments had a propensity to carry out sporadic inspections, which caught employers off guard and resulted in unavoidable violations. The CS stated that the suspension was an essential measure.
“We want to give businesses a grace period to put their houses in order without fear of unnecessary interference,” Mutua said. “In the past, some inspections have been carried out unfairly and have been used to pester employers. That must stop.”
The CS also acknowledged the growing concern from employers, who have lamented about repeated inspections from the national and county governments.
This trend has proven burdensome to employers, and Mutua has now resorted to convening a retreat to gather their input and find lasting solutions to regulatory processes.
Despite offering relief to employers, the CS also flagged non-compliant employers, who are yet to comply with the minimum wage directive, which he gazetted in November 2024.
“Some employers have not implemented the 6 per cent minimum wage increase announced by the President. This is disappointing,” he said. “Workers must be treated fairly, and their welfare must come first.”
As per the minimum wage requirement, employers were supposed to implement a 6 per cent salary increment on their employees' pay cheques, with the government initially vowing to crack down on non-compliant companies.
The implementation of the minimum wage followed thorough consultations among stakeholders within the employment sector, including the Ministry of Labour and trade unionists.
Mutua called on employers to not only honour wage requirements but also invest in job creation, since creating more job opportunities would empower more Kenyans economically. The ripple effect of this is the potential spike in national growth through increased consumer spending.
