Isiolo casual workers threaten to sue county over wage arrears

Isiolo County casual workers have asked Governor Mohamed Kuti to pay them wages that have accumulated for months or they will sue the local government.

The workers from over 10 county departments, including Health, have not received their pay for between five months and one year.

They had boycotted work for two weeks in May but suspended the strike after the county government promised to pay them, only for officials to fail to do so.

The irate workers on Wednesday blocked the gate to the county treasury and county secretary’s offices with logs and stones demanding their pay.

Locked out over rent

Addressing journalists in Isiolo town, the casuals said they were suffering because of delayed payments, with some of them saying they had been locked out of their houses over rent arrears.

They expressed fears that their salaries might not be paid if a new governor takes over after the August elections.

Erick Mugo, who works at Bulapesa dispensary, said most of them were struggling to fend for themselves and their families despite continuously rendering services to the public.

“A majority of us are surviving on debts because we cannot even afford basic needs for our children let alone us and other expenses,” he said, adding that their complaints were not being addressed.

The workers threatened to camp outside the two offices until they are paid.

Inexplicable suffering

Mr Kalla Halakhe, from the Livestock department, said the county government should clear the pending salaries and dismiss them if their services were no longer needed.

“It is sad that the county government that we thought came to assist and transform our lives is exposing us to inexplicable suffering,” he lamented.

“They last month asked us (when we boycotted) to go back to work with the promise of paying our dues but since then, they have been engaging us in cat and mouse games”.

He said they had not been told why their salaries were delayed.

One of the workers, who did not want to be named, said his wife had abandoned him over failure to provide for his family.

“Some of us have had to let go of our spouses because we could no longer sustain them in our homes,” he said.

Written letters

Mr Clifford Mwenda, from the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational, Hospitals and Allied Workers Union (Kudheiha), said they had written to the county government several times over the issue but the letters were yet to be answered.

“It is sad that workers who have continuously worked beyond three months are still being classified as casuals. They should be treated like the other workers who are permanent,” he said.

The union, he said, would assist the workers to seek redress in the Labour court as their last resort.

Isiolo County Finance Chief Officer Peter Ngechu was unreachable for comment on the delays.

[email protected]