Workers in the North Rift region have a reason to smile as plans to open the Employment and Labour Relations court in Eldoret town are at an advanced stage.
The court that will be housed at the Eldoret High Court buildings is expected to begin its works this May.
According to Uasin Gishu Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) chairman Peter Odima, the opening of the court will reduce the costs that workers have been incurring to travel long distances to file their cases at the Nakuru Industrial court.
"We are happy that the Employment and Labor Relations court is finally here in Eldoret. Employers who are used to mistreating their workers should be ready to change or be the first customers of the court," Odima said during this year's Labor Day celebrations at the 64 stadium in Eldoret town.
"There are many Labour related cases that our members are always faced with and this court will go a long way towards dealing with them," he added.
However the court is yet to be assigned a permanent Judge and the Nakuru Industrial court Judge will be alternating working at both stations.
"For a start it will be okay to have the judge for a week here and another week in Nakuru but we ask that in future we have a permanent Judge here in Eldoret," noted Odima.
[The Eldoret Employment and Labour relations court is expected to start its operations this month. Photo/Hivisasa.com]