BUWASCO Staffs down tools over 10 months Salaries arrears

Jan 10, 2024 - 17:06

BUWASCO workers locking the office for anyone not to access until their grievances are heard.

Busia,

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

KNA by Absalom Namwalo and Victoria Magar

The Busia Water and Sewerage Company workers have shut down their main office door as they protested over unpaid salary arrears.

In a move of solidarity, the more than 80 BUWASCO staff ran out of options and locked up the main office door demanding their 12-month salary arrears and called on the governor Otuoma to intervene.

The irate workers, led by Stanley Juma, accused the company management of not remitting their statutory deductions. In a press conference.

Juma stated that salaries have been delayed for the past 12 months, causing difficulties to school attending families and preventing a return to normalcy.

Juma however alleged that their financial predicaments are largely catalyzed by the County Government of Busia departments failure to pay their Water bills amounting to more than Sh13milion, adding that better the days they were under the Kakamega government.

“The facility lacks basic essentials among them chemicals which is very important for water to be treated and be clean, another thing they lack is electricity since it is used to pump water continually,” he said.

But in a quick rejoinder, the County Executive Committee for Water, Environment and Natural Resources Eng. Andrew Messo confirmed the workers’ demands as genuine and promised to engage the BUWASCO board to solve the impasse with immediate effect for smooth and effective running of the company that has had a big share of financial challenges.

"We as a county has come up with a board that will take care of the matter and make sure all the arreas have been paid, but for the electricity it has been paid, we are trying to finish up with the arreas we inherited from past few years and the issue will be sorted,” said Messo.

The companies’ problems emanated after devolution when the company branched from Lake Victoria water company, and ever since the payment of workers and purchase of other office equipment has remained a nightmare.

Courtesy; KNA