By PATRICK BEJA
Political and trade union leaders have challenged the Government to beef up security in Mombasa to facilitate a 24-hour economy and create more job opportunities.
Addressing low-key Labour Day celebrations at the historic Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa, the leaders said a 24-hour economy would attract more investors to the coastal city.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho, Senator Hassan Omar, County Commissioner Nelson Marwa and most area MPs did not turn up. Jomvu MP Badi Twalib was the only top political leader in the county to grace the occasion.
The leaders expressed concern over recent attacks by criminal gangs linked to the Mombasa Republican Council, saying they impacted negatively on the economy.
Mr Twalib said the 24-hour economy was long overdue in the port city and called urgent arrangements to introduce it. He took issue with owners of Export Proceeding Zone companies for allegedly offering low pay to thousands of workers at the Coast.
“Workers in EPZ face poor terms and conditions of service. We are planning to tour the companies with the governor to assess the condition,” Twalib said.
Work without pay
Cotu Coast chairman Gideon Mutiso said trade unions would organise a workers’ demonstration to force employers to pay terminal dues to workers they had sacked.
“We will demonstrate to the Mombasa governor and the employers who removed workers without pay,” Mutiso said.
Kenya Local Government Workers Union (KLGWU) Mombasa branch secretary Rashid Muteti told the 2,650 members under the county government they will not be sacked unfairly. He told members not to worry about possible removal by the county government, insisting the law has to be followed.
Reacting to claims attributed to Joho that some workers had been suspended at the new county government, Muteti said there was adequate law to protect the employees and should not live in fear.
