Counties across Kenya are bracing for significant disruptions following the Kenya County Government Workers Union’s (KCGWU) decision to endorse a nationwide strike starting on September 24.
The strike is anticipated to severely impact essential services in all 47 counties.
KCGWU Secretary General Roba Duba confirmed the strike, which follows a notice issued on September 4 warning of a complete shutdown of county operations.
The union’s National Executive Committee, which is responsible for major decisions, ratified the strike on Saturday.
The walkout will affect a range of essential workers, including mortuary attendants, ambulance staff, firefighters, sewer workers, garbage collectors, revenue clerks, parking attendants,
Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) instructors, and enforcement officers.
The strike is set to halt crucial county services.
The strike stems from allegations of salary discrimination related to a government-approved pay rise.
Although the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) sanctioned increases for both national and county employees, county workers were left out of the second phase of pay adjustments.
This follows their exclusion from the initial phase, which saw national public servants receive a 7-10% salary increase.
Secretary General Duba criticized the exclusion as unfair, stating, “If our demands are not met, all county workers will strike starting midnight, September 24.”
In addition to the salary issue, the union is also protesting the failure of county governments to remit statutory deductions,
Including pension contributions to the Local Authorities Provident Fund (Lapfund) and the County Pension Fund (CPF)/Laptrust.
The outstanding amounts now total Sh60 billion.
Duba highlighted the plight of retirees, many of whom are struggling financially and living in poverty due to these unremitted funds.
He urged for the immediate settlement of the overdue payments, stating, “Our retirees are suffering, with many unable to meet their financial obligations.”
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