Clear salary arrears or go home, Kang'ata warns finance officers

Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata has ordered the county finance officers to clear staff salaries arrears in the next two weeks or be sacked.

Kang'ata said workers are owed at least three months’ salaries and that can easily kill their morale to work efficiently.

He said the excuse given by the county for the delay of disbursement revenue from the national government is flimsy.

“I will establish a payment format that will ensure payments are paid promptly in about two months. It is unfair not to pay workers and expect them to continue working,” he said.

County workers have been complaining over delayed salaries for a while.

Kang’ata spoke on Thursday while touring several health facilities.

He said once the county assembly resumes, the county will revise the County Integrated Development Plan to align with his manifesto.

He said his administration will focus on digitalisation of all county operations to curb theft and waste, this will include digital payment of parking fees and single business permit licenses.

The governor said the health systems will also be digitised to help health facilities keep digital records and ease their work.

Kang’ata said he will establish a stand-alone ICT department that will be headed by an expert poached from Safaricom.

“We are now living in a digital era and there exist digital solutions to the challenges facing governance. I will give IT major prominence in the county,” he said.

Murang'a township MCA Charles Karina who was with the governor during the tour lauded Kang'ata for springing into action soon after his swearing-in.

He urged Kang'ata to ensure streetlights installed in most parts of the Murang'a town are restored since most have been disconnected due to vandalism or huge power bills.

"We are also happy that you have promised to ensure garbage on our streets will be collected in the next three weeks. We will work with you as MCAs," he said.

(Edited by Tabnacha O)