This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
Elgeyo Marakwet County is facing a salary crisis after a dispute between Governor Alex Tolgos and the county assembly led to over 2000 workers being left without pay.
According to reports, the governor had requested the assembly to allocate funds for the hiring of agricultural officers and other staff, but the assembly refused.
As a result, the county workers have not received their salaries for an unknown period, with some fearing that their banks may penalize them for delayed loan repayments.
On August 5, Governor Tolgos warned the workers to prepare for a salary-less period, stating, "I am saddened that county workers are going without pay due to this dispute. I do not understand why the assembly is insisting on hiring staff in their hotels instead of in the county."
County Secretary Paul Chemutut has informed the workers that they will not receive their July salaries due to the budgeting process.
"We are informing you that the July salaries will be delayed due to the complexity of the budgeting process," Chemutut wrote to the workers.
