By KPC Reporter
The County Government Workers Union Kenya (COGWU-K) has accused the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Council of Governors (CoG), of deliberately sidelining county employees in the latest remuneration cycle.
In a statement, the union condemned what it termed “a shocking conspiracy of negligence” after county workers were excluded from salary adjustments awarded to their national government counterparts.
While civil servants in ministries received increments and enhanced allowances backdated to July 2025, county staff were left out.
“This is a gross violation of Article 230(5) of the Constitution, which mandates equal remuneration for work of equal value,” said Roba Duba, the union’s General Secretary.
“A clerk in a national ministry now receives a New Year gift of doubled allowances, while a clerk in a county government or assembly—facing the same inflation and economic hardships—is left with nothing.”
The union accused the CoG of “administrative sabotage,” claiming governors ignored advisories from the SRC to allocate funds for salary increments in their budgets.
“Despite receiving clear advisories and being urged to prioritise salaries, the CoG chose to ignore this,” the statement read.
COGWU-K expressed gratitude to President William Ruto for previously directing the Ministry of Labour to convene all concerned parties to address the matter.
However, the union alleged that the SRC and CoG were “in cahoots to ensure county workers are agitated against the government,” describing the situation as political mischief.
The union issued a list of demands, including immediate backdated implementation of salary adjustments to July 2024, full disclosure by governors on how allocated funds were used, and an end to restrictive advisories that undermine collective bargaining.
It also called for a public apology from both the SRC and CoG for what it described as “professional disrespect and inhumane treatment.”
Failure to meet these demands within seven days, the union warned, would trigger a nationwide strike across all 47 counties.
“We will no longer beg for equity; we shall demand it by any legal means necessary,” Duba declared.