KENYA HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK NOW DEMAND SALARIES FOR COUNTY WORKERS.

 

Lenox Wanyonyi.

Chairman Trans Nzoia County government Workers Union.

The National  Treasury has been blamed for the severe financial strain on workers at  several county governments now facing service disruption .

The Kenya Human Rights network in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County now points fingers at National Treasury CS John Mbadi for salary delays that have led to paralysis of the devolved units .

The human rights network through its executive Director  Benson  Buluma now blames Mbadi for the cash crunch and delays that have led to non -payment of salaries for county government employees in several counties, Trans  Nzoia included.

‘’ It is  absurd that Workers in Trans nzoia have gone without salaries for the month of March and they may fail to pay school fees for their school going children when Schools open next  Week. We are asking President Dr. William Ruto to personally intervene on behalf of the Workers’’, said Mr. Buluma.

He said the President needs to fast- track disbursements of the two months salaries to prevent paralysis at County governments facing uncertainties.

Mr. Buluma warned that devolution in Kenya is actively being sabotaged by a network of State actors including CS Mbadi who are instead prioritizing their selfish interests over service delivery .  He said Corruption, delayed funding , and the misunse of public resources by officials of the National Treasury are some of the key threats to devolution.

Buluma's sentiments were supported by Trans nzoia County Government Workers Union Chairman Lenox Wanyonyi  who said the deliberate, well organized efforts involving state power and political figures had been put in place to cripple devolution.

He argued that corruption has been described as normalized, with over 80 percent of County government budgets reportedly diverted towards the national government through collaboration of cartels.

Mr.Wanyonyi  said some leaders have been pushing for the ‘’ re-centralization of power, forcing county officials to seek favors from officials at the National Treasury rather than operating independently.

He called for enhanced accountability and protection of devolution which he said was the cornerstone of the 2010 Constitution. 

He warned that failure by the Government to pay County government workers their two months salaries had pushed devolution to a crossroads.

Mr. Wanyonyi underscored  the sentiments raised by the human rights network urging President Dr. William Ruto to intervene regarding persistent salary delays , with workers at the devolved unit in trans nzoia reporting arrears upto two months .

‘’ We protest the up- to two months of missed salary payments that have caused a severe financial strain on our members.  We  are telling those in charge here that continued delays of salaries will not be accepted by the union and we are demanding that all monies owed to workers be paid unconditionally’’, he  said in a statement to the media.

A source at  the office of the CS National Treasury however in a rejoinder said the government would not borrow to pay salaries , citing high public debt.

The delays have led to  threats of work boycotts by the Unions including the Kenya National Union Of Nurses, Kenya Medical and Dentists Union, Laboratory Technologists and other workers. This, the County Government Workers Chairman notes will affect critical service delivery and slow down infrastructure projects.

The situation remains critical as workers plead for urgent action from President William Ruto to resolve the payments issue.