The leadership wrangle at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company is taking another twist after the worker’s union says it will lead its members to strike next week.
The Kenya Union of Water and Sewerage Employees (Kuwase) argue that the current Managing Director Nahashon Muguna’s term in office has ended citing that he has already clocked legally stipulated 60 years.
On November 20,2024, the Union leadership and the Managing Director appeared before the Assembly Water Committee over the matter but the hearing was adjourned.
This was after the Committee claimed that some documents presented by Nairobi Water Management were voluminous and required some time for members to peruse.
But the Union side now claims this could delay the hearings until next year and by then the issue will have been overtaken by events and want the matter sorted soon.
Kuwase claim that a recent board of management meeting resolved to extend Muguna’s term by another three years which they argue is against the Public Service Act.
Among the issues that the Assembly was seeking include the minutes of the NW&SC Board of management meeting which resolved the extension of the term of service of the current Managing Director.
“The law is clear about the retirement age of public servants, if the term is extended then it will go against the directive given by the President last year,” James Mumo, one of the union leaders noted.
“The next phase is now to call for a strike because this matter affects all the city residents. The services will be grounded,” he added.
Kuwase Branch Secretary Wycliffe Onditi on his part questioned the move by the board citing that one is either employed permanently or granted a contract of 5 years.
The Union has since written to Head of Public Service Felix Kosegi, Ethics and Ant-Corruption Commission, Governor Sakaja among others over the issue in a letter dated November 15, 2024.
“We want to stress that and emphasize categorically as partners and stakeholders and on behalf of all workers at the company that we are opposed to uncalled for term extension,” the letter reads in part.
Adding that, “retirement age is regulated within the Kenyan constitution and other statutes and is circulated to him (MD), all employment agencies, all civil servants and all state officers,”
