Dozens of Nairobi County workers staged a dramatic protest inside City Hall, blowing vuvuzelas and blocking the entrances to offices of senior officials. The workers, frustrated over delayed salaries, accused Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja of avoiding them and failing to offer any explanation for their unpaid dues.
Workers Demand Immediate Action
The protest, described by eyewitnesses as both noisy and tense, took place on Thursday morning. Armed with vuvuzelas and placards, the workers chanted and made it nearly impossible for normal business to proceed inside the county government headquarters.
In a show of frustration, they blocked exits and entrances, preventing senior county officials from leaving or accessing their offices until their grievances were heard.
“We have gone for weeks without pay. Our children are at home hungry, and Governor Sakaja has not even addressed us. He’s ghosted us!” shouted one of the protesting workers.
Governor Sakaja Under Fire
Governor Sakaja, who has recently faced criticism over various administrative failures, is now under renewed pressure to respond to the growing unrest. Workers say he has failed to communicate the reason for the delayed salaries despite repeated pleas.
This incident adds to a string of controversies that have plagued his administration, including previous disputes with city vendors and ongoing challenges in waste management and urban planning.
Internal & External Context
The issue of salary delays for public servants is not unique to Nairobi. Other counties such as Kisumu and Mombasa have previously reported similar challenges. They have attributed this to delayed disbursement of funds from the National Treasury (source).
Meanwhile, Nairobi continues to struggle with infrastructure, transport, and corruption-related setbacks, further fueling public dissatisfaction.
You can also read about similar labor-related protests on Citizen Digital and The Star Kenya.
For more Nairobi updates, check out this article on Sakaja’s recent county reshuffle on sauce.co.ke.
What’s Next?
The protesting workers vowed to continue demonstrating until their demands are met. As the situation escalates, city services may face disruption, further inconveniencing Nairobi residents.
Stay updated with the latest developments on this and other breaking stories by visiting sauce.co.ke.
