Workers dump garbage at Governor Awiti's office to protest delayed pay

Services at the Homa Bay County headquarters were temporarily suspended on Tuesday morning when casual labourers engaged police in running battles to demand their pay for the last 10 months.

The workers dumped solid waste on the road as police used teargas to disperse them.

Garbage was dumped at the gate to Governor Cyprian Awiti’s offices and other sites.

They also dumped waste at the entrance to the department of Water and Environment, for which they work.

Staff reporting for duty after the weekend holiday were surprised to find the entrances to their offices littered with waste.

The waste made movement on the road difficult as it produced a foul smell and had items that could injure pedestrians or puncture vehicle tyres.

At Mr Awiti’s office, where more waste was dumped, the labourers left garbage in the section between the county headquarters and the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) offices.

The waste was spread 500 metres to the junction leading to the county assembly.

Dawn operation

The littering happened at dawn before the offices opened so that no one could stop the aggrieved workers.

By the time police were called at 8am, the workers had completed their mission by messing up the road that county officials use to get to work.

Police officers failed to contain the group when they were protesting and called for reinforcements.

Reinforcement officers arrived quickly armed with canes to disperse the charged workers.

There was a confrontation between the officers and the angry cleaners as the sides fought each other. Officers then resorted to using teargas to reduce the tension.

One protester was arrested and locked up in a room at the governor’s office as the rest sought an audience with county officials.

Mr Thomas Auko, a cleaner, said they had lost hope as Mr Awiti leaves office in a month’s time.
“We were just demanding our rights but, unfortunately, the county government decided to use force and scare us,” he said.

He questioned why salaries have not been paid when other counties can pay their workers promptly.

“We have heard reports from the National Treasury that pending bills are being cleared. What makes Homa Bay different that it cannot pay its workers on time?” Mr Auko said.

“We demand an explanation because time is running out and the national government should look at perennial salary delays in this county.”

Other workers said life had become unbearable for them as the cost-of-living rises.

Ms Helen Adhiambo said the workers’ children had been sent away from school because of delayed fees payments.

Besides delayed salaries, the workers accused Mr Awiti’s administration of failing to provide them with personal protective equipment, exposing them to risks of infections.

But Water and environment chief officer Moses Buriri dismissed the claims by workers of not being paid for 10 months now.

He said the workers were last paid in June.
“Our main challenge has been delayed disbursement of funds from the National Treasury. But we are doing all we can to address the problem,” he said.

He told journalists that all records will be presented to the next government to pay all unpaid salaries.

“Most workers have expired contracts and were just retained after a cabinet resolution,” Mr Buriri said.
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