Rangers storm IEBC office in Narok over unpaid dues

By Leonard Korir

NAROK, KENYA: For the second day running, Narok County rangers have continued with their protest in pushing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to settle their unpaid dues for the services they rendered during last general elections.

The 56 rangers from the defunct county council of Trans Mara once again stormed and pitched tent at the commission’s offices in Kilgoris where they demanded for their pay amounting to more than sh.500, 000

The rangers petitioned the commission’s chairman, Isaac Hassan to intervene and ensure they were not robbed of their right they toiled for.

They complained that their effort to raise the matter in the concerned authorities has not bore any fruits claiming they were being tossed from one office to the other with no success yet.

Led by wardens Joseph Koronko and Margret Nkilasi, the rangers complained that while other security personnel from the regular police, Administration police, forestry rangers and prisons have long been paid, they were yet to get their dues.

“We want to be told the criteria used by the commission to pay for security services because we have failed to understand how payments can be done selectively to people who rendered similar services. We kept vigil at polling stations just the same way the police and other security personnel did but when it comes to settling of dues we are left out,” said Koronko.

They also claimed they were shortchanged during the 2007 general elections and the 2010 referendum where they were also denied their dues for the similar services they offered.

“It is like this is becoming a habit because in 2007, we worked for the defunct ECK and worked out without any penny. In 2010, we were deployed to various polling stations to work with other security personnel and there we also got no pay. This time round we have vowed not to relent in fighting for what is rightfully ours,” said Nkilasi.

However, speaking to The Standard on phone, Kilgoris IEBC coordinator, Joshua Tulwo said he had received the complaint and was consulting the regional offices in order to know how the names of the rangers were not factored in during the disbursement of payments.

Tulwo said absence of the personal numbers of the rangers could probably be the cause of the omission.

“I am consulting the higher office and the local security department to know how the error occurred because the head of security were in a better position to know their officers. I don’t know why this has arisen because other security persons have long been paid,” said Tulwo.