Frustration boiled over at Nairobi County on Thursday as workers launched a go-slow protest over delayed salaries a crisis that has left many unable to make ends meet for two straight months.
The Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU), through its Nairobi branch secretary Calvince Okello, announced the action in a strongly worded memo on Wednesday. Okello urged county staff to slow down operations or stay home entirely until their outstanding salaries and remittances are paid.
“It’s quite unfortunate that today, being the 17th of September, 2025, Nairobi County staff are yet to receive their third-party remittances for July and salaries for August. There’s no communication or indication of when payments will be made,” the memo stated.
The standoff marks yet another chapter in an ongoing wage crisis that has deeply impacted county workers. From cleaners and clerks to health workers and engineers, employees say they’ve been left to fend for themselves while county leadership remains silent.
Many workers say they can no longer afford daily fare to commute to work, let alone meet basic family needs like rent, food, and school fees. Some have turned to borrowing or side hustles, while others have simply stopped showing up.
“The county has clearly gone against the return-to-work agreement we signed just last month,” Okello added, referring to a deal inked on August 11 that committed the county to timely salary payments by the fifth of every month.
The situation has reignited memories of another tense standoff on August 6, when county workers fed up with repeated delays blocked senior county officials from entering City Hall.
Led by KCGWU Secretary General Festus Ngare and Okello, the workers staged a sit-in at the gates, chanting and waving placards until county leadership agreed to talks.
That protest culminated in the now-broken agreement one that many hoped would mark a new chapter of respect and accountability between the county and its employees. Instead, workers say the county’s silence this time around has made things worse.
“We’ve been patient. We signed a deal. But now, people can’t pay their rent or even afford fare. How are we supposed to keep working under these conditions?” asked one county employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.
This is not the first time Nairobi County has been under fire for payroll issues. Just last year, workers took to the streets over stalled promotions and salary revisions.
The County Public Service Board had promised to address the concerns, but according to the union, little progress has been made.
As of Thursday, the county government had yet to issue a formal response to the latest strike.
