For the second time in a year, hundreds of workers in the hospitality industry in Naivasha face the sack following the introduction of new curfew measures in five counties hardest hit by Covid-19.
Already tens of workers in several hotels have been directed to stay at home as from Monday as their employers reviewed the ramifications of the new government directives.
This came as government and private institutions cancelled all planned workshops in and around the lakeside town which is currently ranked among the top conference centers in the country.
Early last year, over 15,000 persons who work directly and indirectly in hotels in Naivasha were rendered jobless following the first wave of the pandemic that saw all hotels closed up.
And with the third wave, there are fears that tens of the workers who were recalled back to their workplace early in the year will be forced back home.
According to Timothy Njuguna, the operations manager at The Nest Boutique in Naivasha, all their bookings had been cancelled after the Friday announcement by the Head of State.
He termed the current period as the darkest for the hoteliers and workers as the Covid-19 cases continued to increase in the five red-zoned counties.
“We fully support the government in the fight against this virus but the ban on workshops will have a negative effect on us, our workers, suppliers and even the State.” he said.
Njuguna was however quick to add that they had not sacked any of their workers but was quick to warn that they would be forced to do so if their situation did not change.
“We were fully booked since Friday but this has changed since the government directive and all the workshops have been suspended,” he said.