I am within the 100 days to fulfil campaign pledges

By Tobby Otum

A cashflow support program for the payment of salaries for Mombasa county workers has been signed between the county government and the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).

Mombasa governor  Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and KCB Chief  Executive Officer [CEO] Paul Russo jointly displayed a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) during a ceremony held at the Treasury Square grounds in Mvita constituency, Mombasa County.

The MOU signed by both parties is meant to facilitate payment of salaries for county workers and to end delays in the payment of salaries.

Both the governor and the KCB CEO appended their signatures on the document to facilitate salary advances and to end perennial delays in the payment of county workers’ salaries.

Speaking during the well attended ceremony the governor said he was happy to fulfill one of his major election campaign pledges with 10 days to the 100 days in office.

He assured the county employees in case the government delays in remittance of their salary the financial institution has signed to take up the responsibility and step in and promptly pay the workers their monthly salary in good time.

“We are here to witness the program through signing to end doubt over the delayed workers’ salary,” he pointed out.

Abdulswamad said he had lengthy discussions about his plan with several leaders, including county government workers’ union, when he succeeded as second governor of the port city.  

He spoke during the ceremony held in Mvita constituency, Mombasa county.

The governor said he told them he is aware what the county workers are undergoing but he urged them to allow him to follow the right channel to come up with an amicable solution.

 Abdulswamad, who was flanked by area lawmaker Machlele Soud and his Likoni counterpart Mishi Mboko and County Assembly Speaker Aharub Ebrahim Khatri, assured county workers their salaries will be paid in good time after the signing of the agreement with KCB.

He told the workers the document signed is without interest charges.

“We have agreed they waive interest charges,” he pointed out.     

In his welcome remarks, Deputy governor Franics Thoya applauded the move saying it will end the era of salary delays for the county employees which has been a challenge for a decade.     

He insisted the official signing of the MOU between the county government and the financial institutional will open a new chapter with no more delayed salaries.

“The delay in salaries has been a major impediment to service delivery because of the low working morale,” he pointed out.

The Deputy governor lauded the workers for being patient for a decade over the delays in the remittance of their salaries which has come to an end.

On her part, Mishi urged Abdulswamad’s administration to ensure they seal all loopholes of corruption to succeed in running the county affairs effectively.

She pleaded with the county government to ensure promotion of workers is done on merit and not through godfathers.

“Let there be a level playing field in terms of promotion of workers,” she said.

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