The local security guard employed by Njeru Central Division in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe District locked the administration block leaving workers and people who had come for services stranded, accusing the Town Clerk of not paying his salary for 9 months.
The 67-year-old Karim Kanku, father of 7 who has worked for Njeru Municipality for over 30 years is allegedly demanding about shs1.8m in arrears.
He says that life is very hard as his family sometimes goes hungry yet they see him working.
He also claims that his children were sent away from school and has a notice of eviction from his landlord for defaulting school fees and rent respectively.
“Today if they are terminating my work because of locking the offices let them do so but they should pay my money for the last 9 months,” said Kanku.
Kanku is the only security guard at the division offices where he works day and night without taking leave.
“I once requested for leave but rejected. They have even refused recruiting a second guard such that we can work is shifts,” he said.
Workers and clients who had come for services on Tuesday were stranded and had to go back unserved as Kanku said was not ready to open for them.
The situation even worsened when Kanku was joined by other 7 seven support staff employed by council to manage garbage in the municipality and also said they were demanding salary arrears of two months.
Njeru Central Division LCIII chairperson, Michael Odeba whose office was also locked acknowledged the problems of the security guard and the garbage collectors.
“Our challenge as local governments now is the new system where money that is collected is first sent to the central government and it takes time to be sent back. However we are going to look for ways of paying their money”,said Odeba.
Mr Henry Sekagya, Njeru Central Division Town Clerk also said it was true the security guard is has not been paid for some time.
“But we are processing his payment,” he said.
Later in the day, the guard opened the offices after a serious engagement and persuasion.
