Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja faces another storm after county workers launched a go-slow over delayed salaries. The strike, which began on Thursday, September 18, has left essential services crippled, adding pressure on an already struggling administration.
Workers accuse the county of violating a signed return-to-work agreement and say they have been pushed to the wall by months of financial strain. With no clear response from the governor, Nairobi residents now find themselves caught in the crossfire of political failures and broken promises.
Nairobi County Workers Strike Deepens Crisis in City Hall
The Nairobi County Workers Strike highlights growing frustration among employees who accuse Governor Sakaja’s administration of repeated neglect. For two months, salaries and remittances have been delayed, forcing staff to endure severe financial hardship.
Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) Nairobi branch secretary, Calvince Okello, issued a memo on September 17 declaring that members should either slow down work or stay home until their pay is released. He accused county leadership of dishonoring an August 11 return-to-work agreement, which committed to paying staff salaries by the fifth day of every month.
By September 17, however, no payment had been made. Workers, already weighed down by unpaid bills and unmet family obligations, say they cannot even afford transport to their workstations. Okello openly urged those unable to commute to boycott work until the payroll issue is resolved.
In his statement, he noted that third-party deductions from July and August remain unpaid, terming the situation a “gross contravention” of the signed agreement. This defiance, according to the union, proves that Sakaja’s county administration has failed to uphold even the most basic obligations to its employees.
A History of Salary Wars in Nairobi County
This is not the first time Nairobi County workers have been forced to down tools. On August 6, workers staged a dramatic protest outside City Hall, blocking vehicles of senior officials and demanding their dues.
Videos captured desperate employees chanting slogans and refusing to move, a clear show of defiance against county leadership. That protest led to the signing of the return-to-work formula, which has since been ignored just a month later.
Union leaders, including KCGWU Secretary General Festus Ngare and Okello, accused the county of empty promises. Their frustrations echo past disputes, including a 2024 protest over salary increments, promotions, and redesignation.
Then, workers were assured that the County Public Service Board had a schedule in place to address the grievances. Today, the same cycle of delay and denial continues, leaving employees disillusioned and residents suffering from disrupted services.
Governor Sakaja’s silence only fuels anger, with critics saying he has lost touch with the realities facing workers. His administration, once touted as a reformist government, now stands accused of presiding over the worst labor disputes in Nairobi’s history.
Nairobi Residents Bear the Brunt of Political Failures
The Nairobi County Workers Strike is more than a labor issue. It is a direct attack on the welfare of the city’s residents. With workers staying home, garbage collection has slowed, licensing offices remain paralyzed, and basic services critical to millions of people grind to a halt.
For ordinary Nairobians, the strike is another reminder of a city caught in endless political battles. County residents pay taxes faithfully, yet the government fails to meet its obligations. Instead of service delivery, they witness chaos, strikes, and endless blame games.
Analysts say Governor Sakaja risks losing the trust of both workers and voters if he continues to ignore these grievances. Failure to act could trigger wider unrest, with unions mobilizing national sympathy against his leadership. Already, opposition voices are using the crisis to question Sakaja’s competence and credibility.
With each passing day, the crisis deepens. Workers remain unpaid, residents remain underserved, and Governor Sakaja remains silent. The Nairobi County Workers Strike has laid bare the leadership vacuum at City Hall and the widening gap between promises and delivery.
Until the county honors its commitments, Nairobi’s political heat will only rise. The workers have made it clear: no pay, no work. And Nairobi residents, already struggling under the weight of poor services, now watch in anger as their governor fails to lead.
