Civil servants across the country have been asked to put to task delegates and officials of the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS), as a way to restore the Union’s effectiveness.
UKCS Kakamega officials led by the Branch Secretary, Bernard Otieno, warned national officials that they will face a backlash from delegates and the Union members, if they continue neglecting their duties, yet civil servants remit dues.
“Members elect people in office, so that they can perform, and we are stating here without fear, member’s contributions are their rights and they have a right to scrutinize the books of accounts where contributions go,” he noted.
He said they are mobilizing delegates across the country, to kick out the current national leadership, if they will fail to revamp the Union.
Otieno said that the leadership has already demonstrated lack of capacity to hold the office and continues to mismanage funds collected from civil servants.
He noted that county branches have been starved of funds by the national office, frustrating operations at the counties, including the closure of branch offices with many others struggling to pay bills and have accumulated rent arrears.
“Our branches have not been paid for the last 14 months. It is very sad for a giant Union like UKCS officials, to sit in Nairobi, while branches and counties across the republic are closed due to lack of rent and some branches have been even auctioned,” he disclosed.
Otieno warned that since seeking an audience with the national office has proved futile, the Kakamega Branch has appointed a team of eminent members, to start an aggressive process to kick out the national officials.
“We have, on many occasions, requested information from the Secretary General, the National Treasurer and the Chairman of the Union, but all has been in vain which prompted us to go to court. The court has given its judgement that the three officials have breached their responsibilities,” he disclosed.
“In this regard we are going to appoint a team of eminent members across the country, to lead this exercise as quickly as possible, to restore the hopes in the members, branches and counties. I am advising all delegates in the branches and members of each branch, to put all the branch officials to task. I am appealing to all delegates in the 74 branches in Kenya, that they must come out clear and ensure that they save the Union from collapse.”
According to the UKCS Branch Chair, Malik Maina Shanguya, the Union is supposed to advocate for the welfare of members, which has not been the case with UKCS.
He said they are not intimidated by threats of suspension for the move they are taking as Kakamega Branch, to restore the Union’s vibrancy.
By Stanley Odhiambo and Trizerbel Mboyi
