Cleaners dump garbage outside Governor Awiti's office

Striking Homa Bay county government cleaners dumped human waste in the compound surrounding Governor Cyprian Awiti’s offices over delayed payment.

The cleaners also dumped the waste near offices of the county department of water and environment more than 1km away.

It is reported that the cleaners woke up at about 5 am to pull the stunt. They got into the governor’s compound and dumped the waste a few metres from the gate. They continued towards outside the compound and covered about  500m of the tarmacked road leading to the governor’s office in waste. Driving or walking along the road became difficult due to the odour from the waste.

They had to suspend services temporarily to stay away after the odour from the waste became too much to ignore. The cleaners employed on contract through the county department of water and environment say they have not received a salary for 10 months.

At about 10 am, the cleaners returned to the scene where they organised a peaceful demonstration.

But the county government officials who saw them called county enforcement officers to disperse the protesters. Armed with canes, the reinforcement officers arrived but the cleaners did not surrender.

Police officers had to intervene by lobbing teargas to disperse the striking workers.

Thomas Auko, a cleaner, said the workers want to pile pressure on Governor Awiti to pay them their salaries before he leaves office next month.

He accused the county government of applying force on them when they were demanding their rights.

Environment Chief Officer Moses Buriri said: “The contracts were extended by three months. We have paid them for two months. I don’t know anything about the remaining seven months.”

County government officials had to look for other workers to collect the waste.