The branch office is located at Reinsurance Plaza, 2 nd Floor Wing along Oginga Odinga Street in Kisumu. The branch membership is drawn from manufacturing, service, education, trade and agricultural sectors.
The branch serves FKE members located in the larger Western and Nyanza Regions. Dr. Margaret Oloo is the Regional President and is assisted by the Western Kenya Branch General Committee and the Regional Manager. The region deals with Industrial Relations, Legal Services, Trainings and other matters affecting members in the region.
Dr. Margaret Oloo (center) flanked by her committee members and FKE staff from the Western Kenya Region
Brief History
The Western Kenya Branch is the 2 nd Branch to be established after Coast Branch. The Inaugural meeting was held in Kisumu on Tuesday, 23 rd October, 1979 under the chairmanship of Mr. William Lucas Okech of East African Sugar Industries, Muhoroni. On 23 rd October, 2021, the branch will marking 42 years since inception.
During the Inaugural meeting, a vote had to be taken to decide whether the office was to be located in Kisumu or Eldoret. Majority of the members present favoured Kisumu to be the regional Branch Office. Its main aim was to create a closer liaison between the Federation and the Provincial Labour Officers in Rift valley, Western and Nyanza Provinces and other Government arms. Members could also access professional advice on labour matters easily.
The employer’s movement in the region was to receive added weight for the members would be able to speak in one voice on local issues and also be able to influence the Federation decisions.
The Branch holds monthly General Committee meetings. Over the years it has dealt with and still continues to deal with matters on Industrial and legal issues, economic state of the region, political development and other matters affecting members in different sectors like Sugar, infrastructure, agriculture, alcohol and spirits, education, manufacturing, water supply, power, health , security situation among others.
In the past the Branch was in the forefront on CSR issues especially during the floods in Nyanza and parts of Western Kenya Provinces. The members occasionally donated food, i.e. maize meal, cooking oils, blankets, iron sheets and assorted clothing to the flood victims in Nyando District.
The membership of the Branch at its inception was 141 members, the figure rose to 203 in 1986 when the Branch was split into two to give birth to Rift Valley Branch.