By. Agwanda Powerman.
In a move that is viewed as following precedent set by Kenya’s Members of Parliament, Kisumu Municipality Councilors have had their allowances increased by fifty per cent approved by the Local Government Ministry.
In a letter written to the Council by Mr. Charles Ndambo for the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry, the council was told that the Mister concerned had approved the councilor’s allowances increment.
“I am pleased to inform you that the Minister has approved your Councilors allowances as follows; His Worship the Mayor from kshs 60,000 to 120,000,his Deputy from kshs 50,000 to 100,000,Chairmen of Committees, from Kshs 35,000 to 70,000 and Ordinary Councilors from Kshs 30,000 to 65,000” Mr. Ndambo wrote adding that the effective date for the new allowances should be 1st july 2010.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Local Government Workers Union, Kisumu branch has strongly objected to the Council’s impending recruitment of two hundred additional staff and the salaries’ increment.
Through its Secretary Rashidi Ondu, argued that the council must consider promoting existing staff to those positions and only recruit in areas of deficit.
“Whereas the impending recruitment of staff to fill the positions left vacant by the retired, transferred or deceased staff will increase our membership ,hence high due we wish to tell the council to pay all the accrued statutory deductions and the council to advertise the vacant positions to give the exercise credibility and make it transparent”Rashidi added.
Rashidi further told the council that workers are owed kshs 70 million in CBA arrears, unremitted MEK Sacco deduction of Kshs 47 million, unremited Burial Benevolent Fund deduction of Kshs 1.8milion, Union due to the headquarters kshs 25million and 1993/94 wrongful conversion arrears amounting to Kshs 80 million and also ensure the said workers are appropriately graded.
“The council has also failed to remit NHIF deduction of over kshs 80 million, unremitted NSSF deduction of over kshs 200 million, the suspended allowances (negotiated and contained in CBA clause 45) be immediately reinstated i.e. dirty duty, bicycle allowance and all the retirees and deceased families be paid all their dues standing at kshs 150 million” read the letter.
Rashidi also called on the council to make sure that the staff performs duties contained in their appointment letters and the recently carried out staff audit report be made public.
“Should the Ministry approve the impending employment, then the council must first reinstate laid off 52 staff and 62 census report victims before any other recruitments are made” Rashidi argued.
He warmed the council that should it ignore their demands then the union will be left with no option but to take action it will deem fit.
ENDS