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Kidero pays Sh400m to stop strike


The Nairobi County Government on Tuesday coughed up Sh400 million to avert a workers’ strike that was slated for Wednesday.

Top officials of Dr Evans Kidero’s government led by County Secretary Lillian Ndegwa and Chief Officer in charge of Public Service Leboo Morintat made frantic efforts to scuttle the strike.

Mrs Ndegwa announced City Hall would release Sh265 million on Wednesday and a further Sh 135 million on Wednesday next week to clear part of the workers’ salary arrears.

The pay-out will be 40 per cent of the total arrears owed to the workers by the government following a Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2012 but which started to be implemented last year.

The arrears have accrued for the last eight months.

Mrs Ndegwa said workers will start receiving three-months arrears on Wednesday.

STILL OWE WORKERS

Mrs Ndegwa, however, said that after next week’s payments of Sh400 million, the county government will still owe the workers another Sh 600 million.

“We hope to clear the arrears by December 31 this year,” she said.

Nevertheless, Nairobi County Workers Union Secretary General Festus Ngari warned the county government against failing to fulfil its promise.

“We have suspended the strike until Thursday next week to see if they will keep their promises,” said Mr Ngari.

Mrs Ndegwa explained that the salary delays were caused by a huge work force inherited from the national government. It inherited 4,000 workers.