Activities at Kakamega Town Hall are at a standstill from yesterday following a strike by Kakamega Municipal Council workers who camped outside the council offices demanding payment of their salary arrears for three months.
Speaking after holding a meeting with the mayor, town clerk, councilors and other officers at the council, Kenya Local Government Workers Union (KLGWU) western regional Secretary Mr. Juvenalis Orao told the workers that the strike is still on and negotiations were underway until Thursday when their fate will be known.
The council Finance Chairman Mr. George Baraza said that they want to reach a comprehensive agreement before letting the workers to go back to work. “This council has a lot of money but some of us have decided to misappropriate the money for their self interests,” he said.
“If you are not paid by Thursday then you should not be called one by one and go back to work, you will be fighting against yourselves. Two or more people at the council are embezzling money meant for your salaries,” added Baraza.
The councilors who backed the strike said that Kakamega town is in a poor state and yet the council collects funds from the public.
On his part, Kakamega Town Clerk Mr. Newton Mukabwe said that he will not victimize any worker who had taken part in the strike promising to work hard to pay the workers by Thursday with the Mayor Mr. Matias Sichele saying that the workers were asking for their rights.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.