By Sammy Jakaa
Services were paralysed at the Kakamega Municipal Council after workers went on strike over salary arrears amounting to more than Sh30 million.
Over 350 council workers were demanding to be paid their four months salary arrears before they could resume their duties. They demanded to be paid their salaries for the month of May to August.
All the employees reported to the town hall in the morning but did not go their respective stations of work, halting operations at the local authority.
The workers together with civic leaders had earlier on served the council with a notice for a peaceful demonstration against what they termed as poor management by the Town Clerk.
Grievances
In their grievances, they had also raised concern over failure by the council to hold elections for chairpersons of various committees whose deadline was a fortnight ago.
They further accused the council officials of promoting nepotism, claiming that the officials have irregularly employed many of their relatives and friends.
The strike comes a week after three former employees of the local authority obtained orders to freeze its accounts until they are paid money awarded to them by the Industrial Court as damages for wrongfully dismissal.
“We cannot continue collecting funds for the council while they do not pay us. We need to get value for our services,” said Samson Ananda, the council’s Local Government Workers Union secretary.
Mr Ananda vowed that they would not return to work until their grievances are fully addressed.
Town Clerk Newton Mukabue said the management had initiated talks with union officials on a way forward. He, however, said talks to resolve the standoff between workers and the council were being held back by interference from councillors.
