Senator Oburu Odinga has raised serious concerns over the dismissal of more than 500 health workers by the Siaya County Government, calling for an immediate Senate investigation into what he termed as a matter of “countywide concern.”
Speaking during the first Senate sitting since the passing of his brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Siaya Senator sought a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare to address the alleged irregular recruitment and termination of the affected workers.
According to Oburu, the health workers were hired through a transparent process after the county advertised 120 positions but ended up issuing over 700 appointment letters. The workers, he said, reported to their stations in January 2025 after completing internships and document verification but went unpaid for nine months until their dismissal in August 2025.
“They were later informed that 520 of them were irregularly employed and their names were missing from the county payroll,” Oburu told the Senate.
His claims, however, contradict a September statement by County Public Service Board CEO Wilfred Nyagudi, who said the mass firing followed inconsistencies discovered in reference letters. Only 120 of the workers were confirmed as eligible employees, while the rest were asked not to report to work.
The Senator has demanded that the Senate Labour Committee investigate the matter, explaining how the alleged irregular recruitment occurred and under what conditions the 580 health workers were terminated.
He further requested details of the stations where the affected employees worked and measures being taken to regularise their employment. Citing labour regulations, Oburu emphasized that any worker serving for more than three months qualifies for permanent employment and should be compensated accordingly.
The Senator urged the committee to set clear timelines for compensating the affected workers, who served Siaya County’s health sector for nine months without pay.
