Chaos breaks out in Mombasa as Council workers protest!

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Senior county official attacked as protests over delayed pay continue



By MATHIAS RINGA mringa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, July 4 2013 at 20:05

In Summary

• Former Kenya Local Government Workers Union Mombasa branch chairperson Margaret Ambasa later told the county workers "to stop fighting the governor's supporters or executives".

Chaos broke out at the Mombasa County Hall when striking workers attacked a county executive committee member.

The town was brought to a standstill when hundreds of workers took to the streets for the second day Thursday to demand their salary arrears amounting to Sh300 million.

They began the demonstrations at county yard in Mwembe Tayari and walked for five kilometres to the County Hall.

On reaching the County Hall, the workers caught up with a group of women chanting slogans in support of Governor Ali Hassan Joho.

Drama unfolded when some of the workers tried to rough up the pro-Joho group as county askaris sought to maintain order.

Later, Transport executive Mohamed Abbas arrived at the County Hall to witness what was going on.

At this juncture, a county worker confronted the executive official and struck him several times with a stick.

The attack took Mr Abbas by surprise and an employee from the governor's office Eric Kenga came to his rescue - at a great price.

"I lost my precious wedding ring, but I am glad that I rescued the county executive's life," Mr Kenga said.

The Transport executive was whisked away to safety.

Former Kenya Local Government Workers Union Mombasa branch chairperson Margaret Ambasa later told the county workers "to stop fighting the governor's supporters or executives".

Addressing journalists at the County Hall, Ms Ambasa said she had resumed her position since union chairman Suleiman Mohamed had betrayed workers.

"We shall camp at the County Hall until we are paid our two-month salary arrears. We are here to demand our labour rights," she added.

Mr Joho termed the strike illegal, saying, he had taken decisive action by sacking 1,059 workers: 395 employees from the environment department, 244 from public health, 157 from social services, 263 from engineering and town planning and two from county assembly clerk office.

Mr Joho said he had sacked the workers for failing to work on Wednesday.

"The affected workers must return county property as well as vacate the county houses immediately," he said.

The governor said the dismissed employees would soon be replaced.

He noted that county workers who dumped garbage in the town's streets would be arrested and charged.

Senior county official attacked as protests over delayed pay continue - News - nation.co.ke

 

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The workers carrying a casket along Nkrumah Road during the demonstration on July 3, 2013.

A filthy Makadara road in Mombasa town after county workers threw garbage on the streets demanding their pay on July 3, 2013.

Mombasa County workers chant slogans as a casket burns burning the demonstration on July 3, 2013.

 

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Mombasa County unearths about 1000 ghost workers

Updated Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 12:25 GMT +3 By Willis Oketch


MOMBASA, KENYA: An audit of employees of the Mombasa County government has revealed that about 1,000 workers inherited from the defunct Mombasa Municipal Council are ghost workers earning about Sh50 million cumulatively without detection.

The ghost workers were detected following a headcount of all employees conducted at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa last month, according to Khalid Walid, the Mombasa County Executive Committee member for Finance.

If removed from the payroll the county government expects to reduce its wage bill by Sh50 million every month.

On Sunday he told The Standard that some of those enlisted as council workers had died long time ago but their salaries are still being remitted to their pay point monthly.

Two department-inspectorate and cleansing department yield 140 ghosts, according to Khalid this occurrence shows the illegal earners are about 1,000 or more.

Besides during the recent headcount only 1,400 turned up to be counted while the County administration is publicly known to have inherited 2,600 workers from the defunct authority.

"I was shocked to learn that non existing 140 workers in two departments have been in the pay roll of the council for many years without being detected," said Walid.

The revelation comes in the wake of recent strike which saw the former council workers litter the town with garbage while demanding their pay for two months.

It is said some of the illegal workers were involved in last week's strike.

The workers have however been assured of the payment of their salaries from Monday by Mombasa Governor Mr Hassan Joho who has promised to ensure the workers were paid monthly without any fail.

On Saturday Joho said the workers who are on strike should return to work after earlier plan to sack them was rescinded.

But former Mombasa Municipal Council Town Clerk Mr Tubman Otieno said if last month's audit found that it was true there are ghost workers then it was head of the affected departments who should be held liable.

Otieno who is now Clerk to Mombasa County National Assembly said Human Resource Head should also be held liable as he is the one keeping the records of all personnel .

But Khalid said some people enlisted as council workers had left the council long time ago citing somebody who has been earning every month for over 5 years yet he is working in the Middle East.

The County executive official said the recent head count which was conducted revealed that there were only 1400 workers out of 2600 work force in the council.

Khalid said the 1400 workers were considered to be the legitimate ones because they are the only ones who agreed to be vetted. But he also revealed that among those who turned up for counting were young people whose age could not be determined.

He cited corruption in the defunct council led to inclusion of the names of dead people and non existent employees on the pay roll and vowed to correct the mess and ensure the tax payers money is paid only to the right people and not to families of the dead workers.

"I will remove these ghost workers from the payroll from Monday when we will start paying them their salary areas," said the official who also blamed former council officials of taking loans at 40 per cent interest rate to pay the workers.

"This is what has contributed to the council financial woes for many years" said Khalid.

He said the council was spending Sh160 million every month against daily collection of revenue of Sh 1.3 million per day.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Mombasa County unearths about 1000 ghost workers