EX-Pan paper workers demand payment

Rai Paper, formerly Pan African Paper Mill. [File, Standard]

A section of former Pan paper employees is demanding to be paid just months after Sh229 million was released to clear former workers' dues.

The national government, through the Ministry of Industry and Trade, issued a cheque of Sh229 million to facilitate the workers' payment.

However, some of the former workers have alleged that they never received their dues as promised by the government.

They claimed to have been harassed whenever they sought clarification from relevant authorities.

Speaking to journalists outside Rai Paper mill, the workers, led by Alfred Situma and Patrick Murakana, complained of being harassed by the ministry's officials whenever they track the money, while calling on President William Ruto to intervene and ensure that they are paid their dues.

“We are always being asked to either submit our Identity cards, medical cards, or KRA pin now and then, and the money is not reflecting on the accounts. I understand that before the money was agreed upon, all the documents were verified and ascertained before the exact amount was released for the president to sign,” Situma noted.

The angry workers have given the government, through the Ministry of Industry and Trade, a seven-day notice to pay them their money; failure to which they will result in protests and pressure on the government to release the money.

“Failure to pay us, we will demonstrate and block lorries from entering the factory. We are suffering, and our children have not gone to school due to a lack of fees,” Situma stated.

Murakama said, "Only a few people who were earning below Sh10,000 and retirees were paid on December 24 last year,” he noted.

The workers have said that they are going through a difficult life situation, with some of them losing their lives due to the stress caused by not being paid their salaries.

“We have lost at least 5 of our colleagues since they were not able to raise money for their treatment.” He noted.