Non-teaching staff of Garissa TTC strike over five months pay

Garissa TTC non-teaching staff held peaceful demonstrations on Tuesday demanding their five-month salary arrears. 

The workers said if the government can no longer sustain the staff, then they should declare them redundant and pay the resultant dues.

Mohamed Tawane, a watchman at the institution, said they have endured for far too long and are no longer able to provide for their families.

“Prices of foodstuff and basic commodities have shot through the roof and the little salary we depended on is no longer there. Enough is enough.

“Majority of us are Muslims and we are fasting. How do those in authority think we are going to feed our families during Ramadhan. We have no other source of income,” he said.

Issa Yussuf a mason said they were last paid October salaries in January this year.

“Somebody somewhere must be sleeping on his or her job. I urge those concerned to be humane enough and pay us,” he said.

Yussuf said Education CS George Magoha should intervene. “Our families are suffering.”

Ambia Abdi said it was increasingly becoming difficult for them to feed their families due to the salaries delay.

“We have families that directly depend on us. Schools will be re-opening soon and yet we even don’t have money for school fees. The situation is bad,” she said.

The institution’s principal Peter Magoci said the workers have not been paid but declined to give details.

However, a source from the institution said the ministry has been slow in dispatching funds and thus the accumulated arrears.

He said the number of students has also dropped from more than 400 a few years ago to a paltry 54 because of the revised minimum entry to teacher training colleges.

“The number of students is to say the least unsustainable and the college may close its doors, if the leaders do not hold a rigorous campaign to woo candidates to join the college,” the source said.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)

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