Police have arrested 21 youths for destruction of property at the site where a High Court station is being built in Ol Kalou.
Nyandarua Central subcounty police commander Dahir Abdillahi said they will be charged with malicious damage. They allegedly destroyed a section of the perimeter fence and broke window panes.
They were protesting lack of payment after working at the site where each mason earned Sh1,200 daily. Casuals were hired for Sh400 daily, pay they received every fortnight.
Depending on the duration the over 80 workers worked at the site, they are demanding between Sh50,00 and Sh60,000 each.
They said they got angry after Chief Justice David Maraga, during the inauguration of Ol Kalou magistrate's court on Friday last week, announced termination of the High Court contract citing delays by the contractor.
The last time they got their pay was on July 27 and since then, the site manager, Andrew Simiyu, has been telling them to wait, only for the site to be closed soon after Maraga’s announcement.
Patrick Kanyi, a mason, said he is demanding Sh50,000. He said they received their pay fortnightly but since July they were told the Judiciary was doing valuation after which their money would be deposited to the bank.
"We have been patient until the Chief Justice made the announcement,” he said.
Bernard Okoth said they now have no reason to wait after being lied to for too long. Okoth is demanding Sh48,000.
Susan Wanjiku said they have families to cater for. She said apart from delayed pay they also suffered especially women. They started work at 7am and sometimes worked up to 8pm or 9 pm with no overtime pay.
Wanjiku, who is demanding Sh20,000, said sometimes they got it rough dodging the police after curfew hours caught them away from home.
Rose Wanjiku said some women got into trouble for getting home late as their husbands would not accept that they were at the site.
“Some of us were even beaten. In fact, I am healing from some injuries after my husband beat me. When we reported this to our bosses, they said the work must be done,” she said
Mason John Mwangi, who is demanding Sh45,000, said he came from Nakuru to hustle in Ol Kalou. But the delayed payment is threatening his family as he is not in good terms with his wife for failing to provide for the family.
“We want Chief Justice Maraga to ensure we get our pay before the contract is handed over,” he said.
Contacted for a comment, site manager Andrew Simiyu, said the Judiciary is to blame for not honouring payment since July. “It is about Sh60 million, which the Judiciary has not paid. Whom do we blame?” he posed.
Edited by Henry Makori
