Kenya Meat Commission staff down their tools

Kenya Meat Commission staff protest at the factory premises in Athi River. (Photo:Standard)

By Peterson Githaiga

Athi River, Kenya: Business came to a halt at the Kenya Meat Commission factory in Athi River after the employees downed their tools Monday morning.

More than 300 workers from different departments went on strike protesting against what they term as mismanagement at the parastatal.

Waving placards and twigs, the workers also accused the management for paying them poorly and also holding their dues.

According to the workers, some of them have gone without their salary for three months, while others claimed they are being under paid.

Mr George Omondi who has been working at the factory since 1996 told the Standard that the factory risks losing its prime markets for meat exports if issues at the Meat factory are not sorted out.

‘’We know this is a festival month when  this country need a lot of meat, but not a single cow or goat will be slaughtered in this factory until the management pay our dues’’ Said Mr Omondi.

They said they had an agreement with the company since 2010 that their salary will be increased but no one seems to care for them.

Three months ago, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Felix Koskei said KMC was in a financial crisis due to debts amounting to Sh330 million.

Mr Koskei said the parastatal was in the red due to years of mismanagement and misuse of funds.

The debts included statutory deductions and suppliers payments which have not been paid for years.

The parastatal has undergone many years of mismanagement to an extent that it is operating below 20 per cent capacity,” he explained.

Monday, the workers vowed not to return to work until all their dues were settled by the management.

Our efforts to reach Mr James Ndegwa the acting commissioner was fruitless as he was said to be in a crisis meeting with other managers following the strike.