Martin Wamae Wangu & 295 others v Bidco Africa Ltd [2018] KEELRC 2528 (KLR)

DANIEL KIREKI........................................................................................22 ND CLAIMANT DICKSON MACHISU ...............................................................................23 RD CLAIMANT FRANCIS MBINDU ....................................................................................24 TH CLAIMANT HAMPHREY CHONELWA ......................................................................25 TH CLAIMANT SHADRACK MWANGI.............................................................................26 TH CLAIMANT STEPHENE NDOLO..................................................................................27 TH CLAIMANT BENSON MATHEKA.................................................................................28 TH CLAIMANT DOUGLAS OMIMI.....................................................................................29 TH CLAIMANT BENSFORD KIMANI................................................................................30 TH CLAIMANT VICTOR ABUOR ......................................................................................31 ST CLAIMANT COSMOS MBITHI ...................................................................................32 ND CLAIMANT DENNIS MANENO ..................................................................................33 RD CLAIMANT JAMES NYAKUNDI .................................................................................34 TH CLAIMANT SAMUEL YAA ..........................................................................................35 TH CLAIMANT JOHN NDUNGU .......................................................................................36 TH CLAIMANT SYLVANUS MOGERE.............................................................................37 TH CLAIMANT KENNEDY BARONGO ..........................................................................38 TH CLAIMANT GABRIEL SIMASI................................................................................... 39 TH CLAIMANT ALFRED OBONYO .................................................................................40 TH CLAIMANT PETER MBUVI .......................................................................................41 ST CLAIMANT GEORGE NGUGI ...................................................................................42 ND CLAIMANT ROBERT KIVAA ....................................................................................43 RD CLAIMANT JULIUS MOSE..........................................................................................44 TH CLAIMANT JAMES WACIRA .................................................................................. 45 TH CLAIMANT PETER MUNYAKA ...............................................................................46 TH CLAIMANT PATRICK NDIRANGU.............................................................................47 TH CLAIMANT ANTONY KAMAU....................................................................................48 TH CLAIMANT JAMES MWANGI....................................................................................49 TH CLAIMANT REUBEN MACHUKI...............................................................................50 TH CLAIMANT BONIFACE MUASYA..............................................................................51 ST CLAIMANT

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JOHN WANJALA ....................................................................................52 ND CLAIMANT JAMES MWOSYA ..................................................................................53 RD CLAIMANT JUSTUS ISAIAH .....................................................................................54 TH CLAIMANT DUNCAN OYARE.....................................................................................55 TH CLAIMANT KINYOSI NDEGE.....................................................................................56 TH CLAIMANT SIMON NZAMBU ...................................................................................57 TH CLAIMANT RAHAB WANJERI ................................................................................58 TH CLAIMANT JOHN GITHINJI..................................................................................... 59 TH CLAIMANT LAWRENCE MUSAKALE ...................................................................60 TH CLAIMANT PETER MWANZIA..................................................................................61 ST CLAIMANT DANIEL MUTISYA ................................................................................62 ND CLAIMANT NICHOLAS ORWA..................................................................................63 RD CLAIMANT EDWARD MASITSA ...............................................................................64 TH CLAIMANT GEOFFREY MACHOKA..........................................................................65 TH CLAIMANT DENNIS MOFFAT....................................................................................66 TH CLAIMANT ALEX KAMONDE.....................................................................................67 TH CLAIMANT JOHN MBILA.............................................................................................68 TH CLAIMANT RODGERS MULEMA..............................................................................69 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS MBUVI .....................................................................................70 TH CLAIMANT IRERI KARIUKI .......................................................................................71 ST CLAIMANT DOUGLAS NYABOGA..............................................................................72 ND CLAIMANT NELSON NYONGESA ..............................................................................73 RD CLAIMANT PAUL KATWEI ........................................................................................74 TH CLAIMANT MICHAEL EGADWA ..............................................................................75 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH OGUTU......................................................................................76 TH CLAIMANT MUTISYA NYAMAI ...............................................................................77 TH CLAIMANT MULI MUTINDA..................................................................................78 TH CLAIMANT PETER RUTEERE................................................................................79 TH CLAIMANT JOSHUA ODINGA ...............................................................................80 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH NGANGA .............................................................................81 ST CLAIMANT

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JOHN KIARI .........................................................................................82 ND CLAIMANT JEREMIAH OKUMU...........................................................................83 RD CLAIMANT JOHN OKOTH.......................................................................................84 TH CLAIMANT DANIEL NAMAGWA ...........................................................................85 TH CLAIMANT GRACE MWENDE ...............................................................................86 TH CLAIMANT MARY NDUNGU...................................................................................87 TH CLAIMANT STANLEY MBURU................................................................................88 TH CLAIMANT HASSAN AUSI .......................................................................................89 TH CLAIMANT PETER KAMANDE................................................................................90 TH CLAIMANT BENARD MAUMO.................................................................................91 ST CLAIMANT HENRY NGANGA..................................................................................92 ND CLAIMANT STEPHEN MUGAMBI............................................................................93 RD CLAIMANT JOHN KIMANI........................................................................................94 TH CLAIMANT JAMES NGUMBI....................................................................................95 TH CLAIMANT STEPHEN KIAMA..................................................................................96 TH CLAIMANT JOHN KAMAU........................................................................................97 TH CLAIMANT THOMAS OMAMO.................................................................................98 TH CLAIMANT AMOS MATHEKA..................................................................................99 TH CLAIMANT RUTH NJERI .........................................................................................100 TH CLAIMANT PETER MUTUKU...................................................................................101 ST CLAIMANT EPHANTUS MWANGI..........................................................................102 ND CLAIMANT MICHAEL MUTUKU...........................................................................103 RD CLAIMANT PETER KIMEU......................................................................................104 TH CLAIMANT PETER MIHIU........................................................................................105 TH CLAIMANT JARED GETEMBE.................................................................................106 TH CLAIMANT HEZRON NDEGE .................................................................................107 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH GITHUA .................................................................................108 TH CLAIMANT STEPHEN NDERI .................................................................................109 TH CLAIMANT EDWARD MUCHENI............................................................................110 TH CLAIMANT BENJAMIN MUIA.................................................................................111 TH CLAIMANT

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MUSILI MUTISO..................................................................................112 TH CLAIMANT CHARLES KARANJA..........................................................................113 TH CLAIMANT ALPHAYO TIFO..................................................................................114 TH CLAIMANT BONFACE MBILA...............................................................................115 TH CLAIMANT WILLIAM OKOTH..............................................................................116 TH CLAIMANT FIDELIS MULI.....................................................................................117 TH CLAIMANT JOHN NGANGA...................................................................................118 TH CLAIMANT MOSES KABIRU..................................................................................119 TH CLAIMANT BENSON MUGUSU..............................................................................120 TH CLAIMANT JAMES WEKESA ................................................................................121 ST CLAIMANT NICHOLAS WAMBUA........................................................................122 ND CLAIMANT JOSHUA MUSYOKA..........................................................................123 RD CLAIMANT MUSEMBI KAMULA.........................................................................124 TH CLAIMANT KEVIN NYARIKI.................................................................................125 TH CLAIMANT JOHN ODEGA......................................................................................126 TH CLAIMANT DOUGLAS MECHA.............................................................................127 TH CLAIMANT GIBSON MWANGI.............................................................................128 TH CLAIMANT SOLOMON MWANGI........................................................................129 TH CLAIMANT CHARLSE NGURU............................................................................130 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS KIILU..............................................................................131 ST CLAIMANT MICHAEL NGURU...........................................................................132 ND CLAIMANT PATRICK KITHUKA........................................................................133 RD CLAIMANT SAMUEL KARIUKI..........................................................................134 TH CLAIMANT PATRICK NZULA.............................................................................135 TH CLAIMANT DAVAS MOMANYI...........................................................................136 TH CLAIMANT EDWIN MURIITHI...........................................................................137 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS OMBURA.........................................................................138 TH CLAIMANT GEOFREY SIMIYU..........................................................................139 TH CLAIMANT WALACE MULI.................................................................................140 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH KIOKO...............................................................................141 ST CLAIMANT

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BENARD G.WANJIRU....................................................................142 ND CLAIMANT DANIEL GACHOKA.......................................................................143 RD CLAIMANT ZACHEUS NYAKWEBA................................................................144 TH CLAIMANT KAYO INGATIA............................................................................145 TH CLAIMANT FREDRICK ODUOR.......................................................................146 TH CLAIMANT ROBINSON MAINA.......................................................................147 TH CLAIMANT SIMON MUTUNGA.......................................................................148 TH CLAIMANT ROBERT MOSETI..........................................................................149 TH CLAIMANT HEBERT KOMENI.........................................................................150 TH CLAIMANT DANIEL MUTUA ..........................................................................151 ST CLAIMANT FRANCIS KILONZO.....................................................................152 ND CLAIMANT ABINAH NDEGE...........................................................................153 RD CLAIMANT RUSSEL KIBET..............................................................................154 TH CLAIMANT GEORGE ANYANZWA.................................................................155 TH CLAIMANT JOHN WAWERU.............................................................................156 TH CLAIMANT STEPHEN IRUNGU.......................................................................157 TH CLAIMANT COSMAS MOSE..............................................................................158 TH CLAIMANT RAPHAEL OCHIENG...................................................................159 TH CLAIMANT ERIC K OGOT...............................................................................160 TH CLAIMANT MAURICE OLANG......................................................................161 ST CLAIMANT ERICK NDEMO............................................................................162 ND CLAIMANT VINCENT KIOKO........................................................................163 RD CLAIMANT STEPHEN LUVEMBE.................................................................164 TH CLAIMANT ELKANA GWARO........................................................................165 TH CLAIMANT BENSON KYALO.........................................................................166 TH CLAIMANT JOHN KINUTHIA........................................................................167 TH CLAIMANT DAVID MWAKIO ........................................................................168 TH CLAIMANT KENNEDY ODHIAMBO.............................................................169 TH CLAIMANT NDOO MWINZI...........................................................................170 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS W. WAWERU............................................................171 ST CLAIMANT

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KENNEDY KASOLO..................................................................172 ND CLAIMANT VINCENT MABIRIA.................................................................173 RD CLAIMANT WILSON WAMBUA....................................................................174 TH CLAIMANT JAMES OBIERO...........................................................................175 TH CLAIMANT MUIMI KYEVA............................................................................176 TH CLAIMANT DOMINIC MATIVO. ..................................................................177 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPHAT NJENGA..................................................................178 TH CLAIMANT MICHAEL THUKU.....................................................................179 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS NJUGUNA................................................................180 TH CLAIMANT CHARLES ODUOR.....................................................................181 ST CLAIMANT FREDRICK KURIA....................................................................182 ND CLAIMANT ERICK MUGAMBI.....................................................................183 RD CLAIMANT SAMUEL KARANJA.................................................................184 TH CLAIMANT NATHAN GIKUNDI...................................................................185 TH CLAIMANT JOHN MUTINDA.......................................................................186 TH CLAIMANT BENARD WAWERU.................................................................187 TH CLAIMANT EVANS WACIRA.....................................................................188 TH CLAIMANT CASPAH KUTEYI....................................................................189 TH CLAIMANT JOHNSTONE ODANGA...........................................................190 TH CLAIMANT STEPHEN OMONDI................................................................191 ST CLAIMANT POLO WASHINGTON.............................................................192 ND CLAIMANT GEOFFREY KAMAU...............................................................193 RD CLAIMANT STEPHEN ODEKA...................................................................194 TH CLAIMANT DANIEL MOCHAMA..............................................................195 TH CLAIMANT EVANS TROON.........................................................................196 TH CLAIMANT OLIVER MUTSOTSO. .............................................................197 TH CLAIMANT JACK ATOLI..............................................................................198 TH CLAIMANT SAMUEL MWAURA..................................................................199 TH CLAIMANT CHARLES TSUMA....................................................................200 TH CLAIMANT CALEB ORARO.........................................................................201 ST CLAIMANT

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ALLAN OMONDI.......................................................................202 ND CLAIMANT PHILIP KURIA............................................................................203 RD CLAIMANT NICK KUKUBO..........................................................................204 TH CLAIMANT ONESMUS MUTUKU.................................................................205 TH CLAIMANT DAVID NYAMAI.........................................................................206 TH CLAIMANT JULIUS MOKAYA. .....................................................................207 TH CLAIMANT MUTINDA MUTHOKA..............................................................208 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH MWANGI.....................................................................209 TH CLAIMANT STANLEY NGATIA...................................................................210 TH CLAIMANT KYALO........................................................................................211 TH CLAIMANT KIZITO WITABA.......................................................................212 TH CLAIMANT STEPHEN MASILA.......................................................................213 TH CLAIMANT PETER MULEI...............................................................................214 TH CLAIMANT CHARLES MOGENDI...................................................................215 TH CLAIMANT BENARD MWENZE.......................................................................216 TH CLAIMANT ANTONY MAINA..........................................................................217 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS KARANJA....................................................................218 TH CLAIMANT CHARLES KYALO......................................................................219 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS KIMANI........................................................................220 TH CLAIMANT KITHOME ANNAH........................................................................221 ST CLAIMANT PETER MAKABILA.......................................................................222 ND CLAIMANT FRANCIS KISINGU.......................................................................223 RD CLAIMANT STEPHEN KIMULI........................................................................224 TH CLAIMANT ROBERT MUNGAI. ........................................................................225 TH CLAIMANT RAPHAEL WAMBUA......................................................................226 TH CLAIMANT BENARD KILONZO........................................................................227 TH CLAIMANT PATRICK MOTURI.........................................................................228 TH CLAIMANT NICKOLAS AMAYUKU..................................................................229 TH CLAIMANT PETER MUNGUTI............................................................................230 TH CLAIMANT JOSHUA OMARE.............................................................................231 ST CLAIMANT

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ALPHOSE MUTUKU.......................................................................232 ND CLAIMANT JOSEPH CHEGE...............................................................................233 RD CLAIMANT MARTAIN RIUNGU..........................................................................234 TH CLAIMANT BONFACE MUINDUNKO...................................................................235 TH CLAIMANT STANLEY KIAMA .............................................................................236 TH CLAIMANT PETER WANYOIKE..........................................................................237 TH CLAIMANT JULIUS OUMA....................................................................................238 TH CLAIMANT JOHN M. MUTUA................................................................................239 TH CLAIMANT STEPHEN MOSOMI.............................................................................240 TH CLAIMANT MICHAEL OOKO.................................................................................241 ST CLAIMANT JOHN WANJIKU...................................................................................242 ND CLAIMANT TIMOTHY ORONGE............................................................................243 RD CLAIMANT JAMES MWANGI... ..........................................................................244TH CLAIMANT DAUD VILU............................................................................................245 TH CLAIMANT JAMES NYAWADE..............................................................................246 TH CLAIMANT JAMES ONYANGO...............................................................................247 TH CLAIMANT PATRICK MUTUNGE..........................................................................248 TH CLAIMANT SHADRACK MAINGI..........................................................................249 TH CLAIMANT MALUKI KAVUO. ..............................................................................250 TH CLAIMANT TIMOTHY OSALE..............................................................................251 ST CLAIMANT PAUL MWANGI....................................................................................252 ND CLAIMANT MUOKI NDAMBUKI...........................................................................253 RD CLAIMANT LEONARD ABUKI...............................................................................254 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH MAANGI................................................................................255 TH CLAIMANT PETER IRUNGU...................................................................................256 TH CLAIMANT JULIUS IBWAKA.................................................................................257 TH CLAIMANT GEORGE OKATCH...........................................................................258 TH CLAIMANT VINCENT MUGUSU...........................................................................259 TH CLAIMANT MICHAEL OWINO............................................................................260 TH CLAIMANT KAVIVU MWAKAVI. .......................................................................261 ST CLAIMANT

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BENARD MATHEKA. ......................................................................262 ND CLAIMANT SAMSON MUKALA..........................................................................263 RD CLAIMANT SAMUEL KIVAYA............................................................................264 TH CLAIMANT MICHAEL MBINDU..........................................................................265 TH CLAIMANT DAVID MUINDI..............................................................................266 TH CLAIMANT NICOLAS SAMBA.........................................................................267 TH CLAIMANT EVANS NYACHAE.......................................................................268 TH CLAIMANT BENSON NJUGUNA.......................................................................269 TH CLAIMANT NAFTAL K. MASINDE.................................................................270 TH CLAIMANT PATRICK JOSECK..........................................................................271 ST CLAIMANT JAVEL WAMBUA............................................................................272 ND CLAIMANT KENNETH NGUGI..........................................................................273 RD CLAIMANT FIDELIS OUKO...............................................................................274 TH CLAIMANT MWENDWA MUTUNGA.................................................................275 TH CLAIMANT PAUL NGIGE....................................................................................276 TH CLAIMANT WILLIS WATA.................................................................................277 TH CLAIMANT BONFACE MUTUA......................................................................278 TH CLAIMANT BENARD KIYONDI.......................................................................279 TH CLAIMANT MESHACK MUOKI.......................................................................280 TH CLAIMANT FRANCIS MWENDIA...................................................................281 ST CLAIMANT PETER SAMBA.............................................................................282 ND CLAIMANT JAMES NJOROGE........................................................................283 RD CLAIMANT JACTON GUMBA...........................................................................284 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH MWANGANGI.................................................................285 TH CLAIMANT JOYCE KIHONGE..........................................................................286 TH CLAIMANT ANDREW NJOROGE......................................................................287 TH CLAIMANT CLEOPAS ODONGO......................................................................288 TH CLAIMANT GEORGE NGANGA.......................................................................289 TH CLAIMANT VINCENT MOMANYI....................................................................290 TH CLAIMANT BONIFACE ODHIAMBO................................................................291 ST CLAIMANT

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JOSEPH KULUMBA.......................................................................292 ND CLAIMANT DANIEL KIOKO.............................................................................293 RD CLAIMANT ROBERT KIREKI...........................................................................294 TH CLAIMANT JOSEPH MWANGU........................................................................295 TH CLAIMANT GEORGE WAWERU.......................................................................296 TH CLAIMANT VERSUS BIDCO AFRICA LTD.......................................................................RESPONDENT JUDGEMENT 1. The parties in this matter agreed to proceed by way of written submissions upon direction by the court. As at 26 th June, 2017 the respondent had not filed their submissions however the court directed that the same could be filed by the respondent despite the fact that the court had retired to consider the judgement. The claimants herein were initially employed by the respondent as casuals for various durations of time. 2. The dispute arose when the respondent did not recognize the claimants as permanent employees despite working for long periods. The dispute was further compounded when the respondent asked the claimants to sign new contracts without taking into account the claimants had previously served. The claimants protested this and went on strike. The dispute was resolved and return to work formula negotiated through Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The claimants contended that, despite the agreement reached the respondent still demanded that the claimants sign new contracts which they refused leading to what the claimant’s claim was a lockout by the respondents. 3. The claimants further complained that they were underpaid by the respondent and never received any termination notice or termination letters. The respondent however contended that it did not lock out the claimants but that the claimants left work on their own volition. The respondent further averred that the claimants were casuals and were working on a shift system where they would work two day shifts, then two night shifts followed by two days off. The respondent further averred that based on the claimant’s work schedule and the nature of their engagement with the respondent they were for all intents and purposes, casual employees. 4. On the issue of new written contracts, the respondent stated that the decision was made to remodel the structure of the organization to end casual employee policy and instead make all employees permanent by offering each and every one of the casual employees a contract but which was rejected by the claimants. The respondent further stated that pursuant to the claimants’ demands, it ended its casual worker policy and therefore anyone who had not formally applied for a job and who had not signed a contract with the respondent did not have a right of entry to respondent’s premises. 5. It was common ground that the claimants and the respondent wanted to end the casual employees status. The claimants however were not agreeable to signing new contracts without clarification over their previous years of service. The claimants as ably demonstrated by the respondent were registered with NSSF and their dues regularly remitted to the Fund. Under Section 35(6) of Employment Act and employees registered with NSSF or other pension or provident fund are not entitled to service pay. This claim is therefore unsustainable with regard to the claimants. 6. The respondent contends that the claimants were casual workers hence suggesting they may not have been entitled to make the claims they were making. However, under section 37 of the Employment Act, a casual employee who has worked for an aggregate period of not less than one month shall be deemed to be an employee whose wages are payable monthly and section 35(1) (c) shall apply to the contract of service of such employee. Further, section 37(3) provides that a casual employee whose contract has been converted by virtue of section 37(1) and has worked continuously for two months or more from the date of employment as a casual employee shall be entitled to such terms and conditions of service as he would have been entitled to under the Act had he not initially been employed as a casual employee. 7. The claimant’s complaint is that the respondent locked them out over refusal to sign new contracts. According to them, they felt justified not signing the contracts without clarification over their previous service. The claimants however, do not object and in fact this was the cause of their unrest, that they had been casual workers for too long. 8. The respondent however had taken the stand that any person who did not apply for a job and sign a contract under the new policy would not be allowed into its premises. Considering the number of claimants and the fact that the events herein took place way back in 2015 the court is of the view that the most appropriate order to make would be to declare the claimants employees of the respondent by virtue of section 37(1) and (3) of the Employment Act whose services could only be terminated in accordance with the procedure provided for under the Employment Act for termination of employment contracts. 9. The claimants on their part admit refusal to sign new contracts unless their previous service was clarified. Further, their long remainder as casual workers was the cause of their concern and unrest. The respondent on its part had insisted that they sign new contracts under the new policy of elimination of causal workers in its work force. This policy was in principle with what the claimants wanted. 10. In the circumstances, the court would not make a finding on the issue of unfair termination of service. The court will in the circumstances order that each of the claimants be compensated as follows:

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a. One month’s salary in lieu of notice on termination of service. b. One month’s salary in lieu of leave for each complete year of service from 2009 to 2013 for those in service during this period. c. Counsel for the parties liase with their respective clients for computation of orders (a) and (b) are return to Court on 11/10/2018 for recording of final orders. d. Costs of the suit. 11. It is so ordered. Dated at Nairobi this 13th day of July, 2018 Abuodha Jorum Nelson Judge Delivered this 13th day of July, 2018 Abuodha Jorum Nelson Judge In the presence of:.....................................................for the Claimant and .....................................................for the Respondent.

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