Taita Taveta county government has started paying the delayed July salaries, ending a two-day strike.
The payment started on Tuesday, acting Finance and Planning executive Davis Mwangoma. All workers will have been paid by the end of the week, he said
"It is a difficult moment for counties because of the delayed disbursement of county allocation. We are hoping that the stalemate shall be resolved soon," Mwangoma told the employees outside Governor Granton Samboja's office in Wundanyi.
The CEC urged the National Assembly and the Senate to agree on the division of revenue to avert work boycotts in future.
The more than 500 workers on Tuesday made good their threat to paralyse services over the delayed payment.
The workers assembled at Dawson Mwanyumba Stadium in Wundanyi before staging a demonstration outside Samboja's office.
Reuben Matolo, Kenya National Union of Nurses acting secretary for Taita Taveta branch, said only emergency services are being offered at health facilities.
"We cannot survive without salaries. The government should be prepared for tough times because we shall not resume duty until we are paid," Matolo said.
The workers accused the government of deliberately delayed their salaries.
"Workers are tired of excuses. We don't care whether the national government has released funds or not. In this case, we expected the county government to find a way of sorting out salaries," John Maghanga, a representative of the Civil Servants Union, said.
Mwangoma said the county faced a serious financial crisis. "The revenue we collect is minimal. We need at least Sh200 million monthly to pay salaries yet we only collect close to Sh20 million per month."
Edited by R.Wamochie
