Migori County Dismisses 95 Casual Health Workers in Major Workforce Cleanup
The Migori County Government has terminated the contracts of 95 casual health workers, sparking protests across several public health facilities. Workers at Migori County Referral Hospital, Kehancha and Isebania health centres accused the county of unfair dismissal, claiming the move was politically motivated and aimed at replacing them with preferred individuals.
Deputy Governor Gimunta Mahiri and County Health Executive Awuor Nyerere defended the decision, saying it followed a detailed internal human resource audit across Migori’s 160 public hospitals. According to the county leadership, the audit revealed bloated staffing numbers and expired contracts that the county could no longer sustain under its budget. They said Migori was allocated a maximum of 250 casual workers, yet they found more than 350 employed when they took office after the last general election. The county insisted the rationalisation was necessary to streamline service delivery and restore efficiency in the health sector.
The dismissals come at a time when labour-related frustrations are rising in Migori. Earlier this month, work at the Water and Energy Department was disrupted after casual employees of the Migori Water and Sanitation Company staged demonstrations over 11 months of unpaid salaries. Protesters blocked offices, demanding immediate payment and urging Governor Ochilo Ayacko’s administration to address their plight. Deputy Governor Mahiri assured that the county would settle pending payments for all disengaged workers and committed to resolving salary delays that have strained relations between staff and the county government.