Laikipia County Government’s plan to sack casual workers yesterday was cancelled at the last minute following a disagreement between the Executive and MCAs.

MCAs said sacking the workers would undermine them politically.

Governor Joshua Irungu (pictured) said that after consultation with the Assembly, it was decided to put off the retrenchment “since some of the targeted casuals were specialist doctors serving in the health sector while others had unexpired contracts.”

Insiders said the MCAs had warned the governor that sacking the casuals would open a floodgate of legal actions against the county government by those whose contracts had not expired.

County Secretary Koinange Wahome, however, maintained that the planned retrenchment was still on.

“We have agreed to extend the contract of the current casuals by extra three months before recruiting a new cohort or renewing contracts,” he said.

He added: “In the meantime the status quo of the staff currently engaged on temporary terms shall be maintained.”

Job seekers who had turned up at the Nyahururu Social Hall in the morning found notices announcing the cancellation of scheduled  recruitment of temporary employees.

The recruitment had been announced by the County Secretary in a notice dated August 15.

In May, Koinange directed heads of departments to issue dismissal letters to casuals who were hired by former Governor Ndiritu Muriithi’s administration.