One of the biggest challenges facing county governments across Kenya continues to be the management of human resources and the timely payment of employees. While counties rely heavily on their workforce to deliver essential services to residents, numerous workers have repeatedly complained about salary delays, pending arrears, and lack of transparency in payroll administration.

For many public servants, a salary is not simply income—it is the means through which families pay rent, school fees, medical bills, and meet daily living expenses. When workers go for months without pay, the consequences can be devastating, leading to financial hardship, debt accumulation, emotional distress, and declining morale within the public service.

Even more troubling are situations where employees believe payments are being made selectively. Allegations of favoritism, political patronage, and preferential treatment often undermine trust in public institutions and create the perception that access to wages and benefits depends not on merit or entitlement, but on personal connections and influence.

Hello Nyakundi,

Kindly hide my identity.

I would like to raise concerns regarding the County Government of Nyamira and the continued failure to pay salary arrears owed to several employees.

I was employed in July 2023 together with a number of other staff members. We reported to work and faithfully carried out our duties until January 2024 despite going for months without receiving salaries.

During that period, we continued serving the county government because we were repeatedly assured that all outstanding salary arrears would eventually be paid.

Unfortunately, those promises have never been fulfilled.

More than a year later, many of us are still waiting for the money we earned while working for the county government.

What makes the situation even more painful is that there appears to be no clear explanation regarding why some employees have allegedly received payments while others remain unpaid.

Many workers now believe that payments are being processed based on who one knows within the system rather than through a fair and transparent process.

Those of us without connections or influential individuals speaking on our behalf feel abandoned and forgotten despite rendering services to the county.

We have made numerous attempts to follow up on the matter through the relevant offices and officials.

However, instead of receiving answers, many employees claim they have been met with intimidation, threats, and victimization whenever they raise questions about their unpaid arrears.

The atmosphere has become so hostile that many workers now fear speaking openly about the issue.

Some of us sacrificed greatly during those months, borrowing money to survive, accumulating debts, and enduring financial hardship while continuing to work in good faith.

We did so because we trusted the county government's assurances that we would eventually receive our salaries.

Today, many of us are still struggling with the consequences of that decision.

We believe this matter deserves urgent attention from the county leadership, the County Assembly, the Controller of Budget, the Commission on Revenue Allocation, and other relevant oversight institutions.

Why have employees who worked between July 2023 and January 2024 not received their salary arrears?

What criteria are being used to determine who gets paid and who does not?

Why are workers being threatened when they seek answers regarding money they legitimately earned?

And when does the county government intend to settle the outstanding arrears owed to affected employees?

We are not asking for favours.

We are asking for payment for work already done.

We served the people of Nyamira County and fulfilled our responsibilities.

The county government should now fulfil its obligation to the workers who helped keep services running during that period.

We respectfully appeal for intervention and accountability so that all affected employees can finally receive the salaries they were promised.

Concerned Nyamira County Employee.