Hundreds of Nakuru county government casual workers who were laid off early last week have accused governor Susan Kihika of subjecting them to psychological and financial trauma.

The over 605 environment workers have called upon the national government to intervene and have them reinstated noting that their laying off is both inhumane and suspicious.

"The governor talked of addressing unemployment and defending hustlers. We, therefore, wonder why we are being targeted and call upon the governor to rethink and to protect us," Susan Wangari said.

The casual workers claim that they were laid off without notice and without pay yet they had worked for many years at the devolved unit.

Wangari, who was working in the environment department said the untimely and unprecedented sacking through phone calls has exposed them to severe financial hardship, poverty, debt, alienation, stigma, increased social isolation and ill-health.

Kenya County Government Workers Union Deputy Secretary General John Ndunda condemned the sacking adding that the move is aimed at giving the new administration an opportunity to employ its own people as a reward for campaigning for it.

Most of the casuals have been there in successive governments. Some were employed by the first governor Kinuthia Mbugua while others by former governor Lee Kinyanjui.

"It's suspiciously strange to learn that people are being employed even after hundreds were unceremoniously laid off. Interestingly, they were not given dismissal letters," Ndunda said while addressing the workers.

Our efforts to get comments from the governor, County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura, and Chief of Staff Peter Kityenya were futile with none of them responding to either our message chats or our phone calls.