A growing public outcry over the treatment of an injured long distance bus driver has pushed Ena Investments Limited to defend its handling of a compensation dispute that has captured widespread attention.
The company released an official statement after Henry Kochi, a former Ena Coach driver from the Nyanza region, appealed for urgent help following a February road accident that cost him his arm.
Kochi says he sacrificed himself to protect more than sixty passengers during the crash and that all of them survived because he shielded them at the moment of impact.
Kochi claims that life after the accident has been a daily struggle marked by mounting medical bills, unemployment and what he describes as neglect from his former employer.
He says he has made repeated trips to Ena Coach offices and filled out countless insurance forms, yet he has received no compensation. He also fears that the insurance documents supplied to him may be flawed which could derail any payout he is entitled to under Kenya’s Work Injury Benefits Act.
Ena Investments Limited disputes that narrative. In its statement the company says it immediately lodged an insurance claim after Kochi was discharged from hospital and that the insurer later issued a compensation offer.
According to Ena the offer was communicated directly to Kochi who then rejected it and opted to channel all communication through his lawyer.
The company adds that it sought help from the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services and that all required forms have been processed and are awaiting approval from Kochi’s doctor. Ena maintains that its commitment to employee welfare is firm even though communication with the former driver has at times been difficult.
Kochi’s situation has sparked strong reactions on social media and revived debate about the safety of long distance bus drivers and the patchy enforcement of workplace injury laws in Kenya.
Legal analysts note that his case fits within long running concerns about delays and disputes in compensating high risk transport workers. The public continues to demand clarity and swift action as both sides insist they are following the proper path to justice.
