25 Tana River county revenue collection staff sacked

Revenue collection services have been disrupted for the last two days after staff went on strike to protest their sacking.

The cess collection workers received letters indicating that their services had been terminated for alleged poor performance.

The 25 workers drawn from three sub-county offices said that the dismissal notice by the county government was illegal and discriminatory, adding that they had achieved a Sh30 million target set by Governor Dhadho Godhana.

Speaking at the Hola county headquarters yesterday, Hawa Ibrahim, one of the affected workers, said the sacking memo issued by the county secretary was done in bad faith and they would not accept it.

Ms Hawa, who supervised cess workers in Madogo and Bangale divisions, asked the governor to intervene or else they would seek legal redress.

On Monday, County Secretary Joshua Jarha wrote termination letters to the workers, telling them that their services were not needed and they should stop working henceforth. Their February dues, according to the letter, will be paid before the end of the month.

Contacted for comment, Mr Jarha acknowledged issuing the notice and said that the workers were employed unprocedurally and they needed to apply afresh after the County Public Service Board advertised the positions.

“Why is it a problems for them to reapply for the same job when advertised? We are trying to go by the law this time round,” he said on the phone.

Last year, the governor dismissed 36 staff from his office over alleged poor perfomance. The workers went to court and lost.