KISUMU, Kenya, Oct 3 — Kisumu county workers are set to paralyse activities on Friday as they demand two months’ salary arrears.
Kenya County Government Workers Union, Kisumu branch Chairman Boaz Opiyo said the delayed salary payment is by design.
Opiyo said workers will take a salary parade at the employers’ door step on Friday.
“We will not strike but will parade to compel the county government to pay us,” he said.
He noted that in the recent past, the executive heaped blame on the delay in failure by the exchequer to release funds to the counties.
However, he said, they have reliable information that the Treasury released funds to the county on Wednesday, September 25.
“That is the reason why we are going on a parade. Why not pay us yet the national government has released funds to the counties?” he asked.
Opiyo noted that workers are undergoing a lot of frustrations pegged to payments of house rents, school fees and food to their families as a result of no salary.
Mounting penalties
Addressing the press at the Union offices in Kisumu on Thursday, Opiyo said non-payment of bank loans has brought more misery to the workers.
“Workers are staring at hefty penalties imposed on them by the banks owing to non-remittance on time to their active loans,” he said.
He accused the county government for caring less about the welfare of workers who have dedicated their time to offer quality services to the citizens.
Opiyo wondered why the county government has continued to ignore the existence of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, which has remained un-implemented for several years.
He urged the workers not to report to work on Friday, but converge at Prosperity House for the salary parade.
“The parade will spill into next week if there are no payments of salary to the employees,” he said.
The parade will affect key functions including revenue, inspectorate, fire brigade and environment.
Source: capitalfm
