Kemri kicks out cleaners as they demand Sh46 million pay

A disagreement between a research organisation and a cleaning company over unpaid dues has spilled messily into public view.

Staff at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) had kicked out workers from Superclean Shine Ltd for allegedly boycotting duty over unpaid dues.

According to Kemri, the cleaning staff had been on strike since last Thursday, prompting the institution to source services elsewhere.

Yesterday, workers and directors from Superclean Shine were camped outside Kemri’s gates at 5am seeking access into the compound to demand their pay. But they were repulsed by security guards.

When The Standard visited the Kemri offices on Mbagathi Road in Nairobi, the cleaning staff had set up a temporary camp outside.

The firm’s officials claimed that Kemri had not paid for services for the past three years, and they had been paying staff from their own pockets.

Superclean Shine Director Charles Kiarie said it was not right for their workers to be thrown out because they were only fighting for their rights.

A source inside Kemri who declined to be named said after the cleaning staff boycotted duty, they had used other ways to ensure that the laboratories were cleaned.

“When they went on strike, we had to look for other means of cleaning because if a laboratory is not cleaned even for a day, that is a criminal offence,” the source said.

Mr Kiarie vowed that his staff would stay put and demanded that the security guards open the gate so they could seek audience with Kemri officials.

“We have not received any money from Kemri for three years now. That amounts to Sh46 million. We are not going anywhere. These officers are not above the law."

Ann Murugi, a Superclean Shine employee, said they had been prompt and diligent in offering the required services.

The stand-off began on Saturday, when the Superclean Shine staff blocked Kemri workers from entering the premises. Kiarie said they met one of the deputy directors who promised to address the issue but they ended up locked outside without any solution being offered.

Kiarie said they had documents showing their relationship with the research institution.

“We have records of our vehicles going in and coming out. We even have the invoices to show that we have been offering services at Kemri.”

Kemri was not clear about whether they had been paying Superclean Shine. They claimed the contract lapsed and that they were waiting for the courts to rule on the matter on June 4.