Kenyan mothers to get 6 months maternity leave

ruby orimba

May 3, 2017 8:04 AM

Six months break after delivery for Kenyan women

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Kenyan mothers will get more time to spend with their new born babies following a new law presented before Parliament.

Buuri MP Kinoti Gatobu is seeking to amend the Employment Act to allow women spend at least six months with their infants before resuming work.

According to the Act mothers are given 3 months maternity leave which is inclusive of their monthly salary.

The lawmaker indicated that the extra three months should be allocated to ladies but without pay.

“The current provision is three months maternity leave, therefore an extension of three months maternity leave will be in conformity with international best practices,” the amendment reads in part.

Mr Gatobu argued that the six month period would allow mothers to meet the World Health Organization recommendation to have females exclusively breastfeed for six months.

At the same time, MPs pushed a law that will make it mandatory for employers to provide breastfeeding stations for nursing mothers in the workplace.

“All employers shall in the workplace establish lactation stations, which shall be adequately provided with necessary equipment and facilities. An employer shall grant all nursing employees break intervals in addition to the regular times off for meals to breastfeed or express milk,” the bill recommends.