Union threatens to withdraw workers in counties due to salary delays

NAKURU, KENYA: The Union of Kenya Civil Servants has decried the  delayed payment of salary to county workers saying it is affecting service delivery.

The union has therefore given county government five days' notice to clear all pending salaries failure to which it will call for withdrawal of workers at the counties.

The union on Wednesday said county governments have also delayed non-remittance of Pay As You Earn to Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), National Security Social Fund (NSSF) and loan deductions to the banks thus putting penalties and surcharge by banks.

Speaking on behalf of the Union, the  national chairman Noah Rotich said the delay has affected service delivery that is against rights of workers.

Rotich said the most notorious counties are Kakamega, Kiambu, Uasin Gishu and Mombasa where majority of workers have not received their July salaries among other allowances.

"There is a big outcry by county workers across the country that will affect delivery of services if a quick action will not be taken," said Rotich.

He said in Kakamega county, more than 4,000 workers inherited from the former local authority have not been paid without a clear reason to the delay.

The chairman said despite workers in Kakamega and Mombasa having not received their salaries, they have not also been able to receive medical cover due to failure to remit NHIF since April this year.

In Bomet, he said though workers have received their salaries, they are yet to receive their bank remittance loans for a period of three months.