Nairobi County workers and residents seeking services at City Hall Annexe have been forced to take the stairs for the last three weeks.
Lifts in the 18-storey building have been out of order, forcing workers and customers to endure physical exercise they had not planned for.
The building has several county departments, including the County Inspectorate, Social Services and Housing Department and an examination section.
Private companies also rent offices in the building.
Naomy Chebet, a county worker, is not happy with the situation and hopes that an urgent solution will be reached soon.
Ms Chebet, who appeared exhausted from climbing the stairs, said the contracted lift service provider always switched off the lifts when he was not paid for his services.
“Look at the way I am sweating. It has not been easy for me, going up and down the stairs every time. We are suffering for something we do not know about,” said Chebet on the 15th floor.
She added that the county government officials involved should terminate the contract and look for another service provider because this was not the first time it was happening.
“We do not expect that the lifts will start working any time soon because this is not the first time this is happening. Sometimes we go up to two months without the lifts,” said Chebet.
Seeking services
She said disabled employees were unable to come to work while others seeking various services could not come because of the lack of working lifts.
“I have a colleague who is disabled; he is in a wheelchair. When the lifts stop working he is unable to come to work for obvious reasons. He has not been in his office for a while now,” Chebet said.
Winnie Wanyanje, another worker, had to sit down and take a breather on her way to the 15th floor from the ground floor.
“I feel like I’ve just climbed Mount Everes. By the time the lifts are working again I will have lost a couple of kilos,” said Ms Wanyanje in jest.
Her colleague Dan Nyangweso said he was already used to the situation.
“This happens every time and I am already used to the state of affairs. I do not have a problem climbing the stairs,” he said. However, the lifts had started working by yesterday evening. But for how long? wondered the workers.
janyango@standardmedia.co.ke
