This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
Kenya is on the brink of a crisis as county workers threaten to down tools over delayed salaries. The workers, who are members of four trade unions, have given their employers a seven-day ultimatum to pay their salaries, failure to which they will withdraw their services.
The ultimatum was issued on Tuesday by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU), the Kenya County Workers Union, the Union of the Kenya Civil Servants, and the Kenya Union of Nurses. According to the unions, none of the 47 counties have paid their workers last month's salaries.
“Beginning Tuesday, there will be a total paralysis because of a salary parade…all the workers…even some of those governors will not come to Nairobi because their drivers will be on strike…we are very organized this time round,” said KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Ouma Oluga.
The unions maintain that any further delay of salaries will make workers undergo untold suffering as they will be unable to meet their basic needs. “The purpose is to ensure sufficient pressure is built by the employees by the workers and the unions so that their demands for salaries are met,” said Kenya County Workers Union Secretary General Roba Duba.
However, the situation is complicated by the fact that the National Assembly will be going on recess from Thursday and will be back in September. This means that the Senate has to consider the National Assembly’s version of the controversial Division of Revenue Bill that seeks to have counties allocated Ksh.316 billion, by Thursday.
