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More than 2,000 workers in Homa Bay county have threatened to go on strike to demand payment of two months' unpaid salaries
They said they have not been paid for July and August, despite signing agreements that salaries should be paid before the 8th of every month.
Acting Homa Bay secretary Donald Ogweno said the delay had been caused by the delay in receiving devolved funds from the National Treasury.
“Homa Bay government has not received funds from the National Treasury and that’s why we can’t we’re unable to pay them,” Ogweno said.
There was no immediate indication of when the funds would be received.
Under the Kenya Union of Civil Servants, the workers said they are suffering serious economic hardship.
Union secretary in Homa Bay Tom Akech Akech said on Friday that life has become unbearable for them.
“Many have no source of money apart from the salaries they demand from the county government. Two months is a long time for employees to continue working without any pay,” Akech said.
He said many workers are unable to send their children to school due to lack of salaries. Some of their children had been sent home for lack of fees.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Akech asked Governor Cyprian Awiti to direct Finance officials to pay them before he leaves office.
Awiti is the outgoing governor, having served for two terms.
“Schools have been opened but I assure most workers and their children are still at home," Akech said,
He said the salary delay is also causing delay in remission of workers' statutory deductions. This causes losses because they will be fined later when they are repaying their loans.
Akech expressed concern workers will incur huge losses because financial institutions will penalise them for being unbale to repay their loans on time.
The delay in remitting statutory deductions also denies the workers medical services through their health insurance schemes.
“The NHIF’s deadline for contribution is the 9th day of every month. What is happening now means Homa Bay government workers cannot acquire medical care using the health insurance because we have debts,” Akech said.
He threatened that workers would down their tools next week if the county does not pay them.
“What we will do is to down our tools because every worker should be paid for the services they offer. Let the employer respect our services,” Akech said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
