THHE VOICE OF EMPLOYERS

BY MUKAMI MUNGAI
As years go by, things change. Unlike in the past when women were restricted to the cooking
area,nowadays,tables seem to be changing as more and more women are been absorbed
into careers previously restricted to men.
Many women have been thrust into echelons of power and major decision making platforms.
One of them is Mrs. Jacqueline Mugo, the Executive Director for the Federation of Kenya
Employers (FKE).I have to admit that booking her for a media interview is a hard task as she
is busy attending meetings, conferences and meeting with labor stakeholders in and out of
the country.
The Federation of Kenya Employers is a premier employers organization in Kenya
established in 1959 under the trade unions Act cap 233 to represent the collective interest of
employers in Kenya. Its membership is drawn from private and public sectors, including state
corporations, local authorities and employers association. The federation provides a forum
for employers in promoting sound industrial relations and observance of fair labor practices.
Mrs.Mugo is in charge of advocating, defending and endorsing interests of employers,
supporting good management practices and developing sustainable institutional capacity and
competence among FKE members. We stand for fair legal and ethical business practice.
There are certain principles and standards that employers must abide by in order to be FKE
members, she says.
She has been vocal in matters of national interest that affect employers including the
controversial Tassia housing project, high wage bill and the NSSF deductions. Not an
individual to shy away from speaking her mind, Mugo has at many times put the government
to task over labor relation issues which seem oppressive. Increasing the mps pay will put
more pressure on the private sector. Since it cannot retain all staff, some will be shed off,
she says.
I pose a question to her about disputes or a disagreement arising between the employer and
employee.Her is a candid answer. Some employers fail to follow statutory procedures in the
employment Act. Both of them should not rush to court to settle their differences. They
should first seek to dialogue and explore other alternative dispute solving mechanisms. Good
industrial relations will ensure the growth of a conducive business environment that will in
turn create more jobs and a vibrant economy.
Better remuneration and good industrial relations between employers and employees should
be encouraged, she says.
She has been instrumental in instituting a new code that prohibits employers from compelling
employees from undergoing HIV tests without consent. It is immoral to single out HIV as a
reason for denying one employment. As long as someone is fit to work, he/she should not be
subjected to inhumane treatment, she says.
Mugo is irked by the fact that Kenya has low labor productivity.Kenyans bad attitude towards
work is a challenge in realizing improved growth, she tells me.

Before becoming the voice that champions the rights of employers, Mugo has served as a
resident magistrate in the judicial department having obtained a bachelor of law at the
University of Nairobi. She also holds a higher diploma in human resources management from
the institute of personnel management. She also worked as the regional human resources
operation manager for unilever Kenya limited, Kenya Airways and National Aids Control
Council. She has been at the helm of the voice of employers organization since 2006.
Mugo a strict observer of time attributes discipline and hard work as key values that have
made her who she is.I was brought up in a very religious family and my parents always
emphasized the importance of discipline in all that one does, she says.
Her office located at Waajiri house in Argwings Kodhek road in Nairobi is beautifully
furnished and decorated with picture frames and trophies that the organization has been
awarded under her stewardship.
Been a woman who against all odds has made it to the top, she has also put measures in
place to ensure that women representation in the workforce is upheld and appreciated. she
has introduced a training programme known as the female future aimed at getting talented
women into leadership and top management postions.she says that the input made by
women in different sectors of the economy is quite big and therefore, they should not be left
out. Women need not be intimidated. They should get into boardroom and participate in
making major decisions in companies, organization, parliament, senate or in the courts, she
quips.
Apart from overseeing the FKE, Mugo wears different caps. She serves as a board member
of International Labor Organization (ILO), she is a council member of Pan African Employers
Confederation, a trustee of NSSF, sits at the board of trustees in the Higher Education Loan
Board, labor advisory board and the National Industrial Training Council and Productivity
Center of Kenya.
As we part, she tells me that FKE is seeking to reposition itself so as to strengthen
partnerships with other stakeholders and ensure good working relations with its members
and the government.
The sky can only be the limit for this illustrious career lady.